It did not help that despite the similarities between the two European powers, there was deep suspicion between the two over colonial policy. Indeed, in 1954 they were about to suffer a cataclysmic and humiliating military defeat in Dien Bien Phu. The French in 1954 meanwhile were caught in a merciless conflict that confused new Cold War realities with increased nationalist aspirations in Indo-China. There was still political consensus between the two major parties to support development of the poorer colonies who were thought to be en route to self-government all-be-it at an undefined speed. There were new Federations of colonies being formed from smaller economic units to try and build up stronger political-economic units that might be self-sufficient and regionally more influential.

Otherwise, Churchill was still in power and was continuing to dream of a second Elizabethan Age for the Empire as it transitioned to the Commonwealth. These both significant challenges but were in the process of being contained through military action and civil reforms. The Mau Mau rising was taking place in Kenya and the Emergency in Malaya was still in full swing. If we take the year 1954 as the starting point, Britain was dealing with the rising power of Nasser in Egypt and would soon abandon Sudan and vacate the Suez Canal Zone in a vain attempt to placate his nationalist soundings in the region. However, those differences are highly instructive and worth examining in detail. Both of them came to the same conclusion of detachment by 1962 but the journey to reach this conclusion was very different. In many ways the two empires tried a variety of means of holding on to their colonies in this period and with varying but mostly limited means of success. And yet, I felt that the French experience of decolonisation was very instructive to events in Britain over this same period from 1954 to 1962.

By Alistair Horne It may seem strange to have a book dedicated to the French colony of Algeria on a site dedicated to the history of the British Empire.

A Savage War of Peace by Alistair Horne