Le plan Challe

In: Revue Historique des Armées, Band 238, Heft 1, S. 108-117

Abstract

The elimination of terrorism and the closing of Algeria's frontiers enabled General Challe, the commander-in-chief of French forces in Algeria, to put in place an offensive plan during 1959 to destroy the ALN's maquis bands. The general reserves, growing steadily more powerful and consisting of paratroops, Foreign Legion and Tirailleur light infantry, were deployed in a series of phases from the Oranais to the Aurès. The action they mounted was followed up by the Commandos de Chasse (Pursuit Commandos) that were formed in each of the 75 Operational Sectors. It was also accompanied by infiltration operations and by the political shutter represented by the 'active self-defence units'. The ALN within Algeria lost more than half its strength and only survived at all because of some interruptions to the Plan and because of the repatriation to France of the paratroop brigades following the Algiers putsch of April 1961.