May 1958 Crisis - Context

Context

Recurrent cabinet crises focused attention on the inherent instability of the Fourth Republic and increased the misgivings of the army and of the colonists that the security of Algeria (then a part of France) was being undermined by party politics. Army commanders chafed at what they took to be inadequate and incompetent government support of military efforts to end the rebellion. The feeling was widespread that another debacle like that of Indochina in 1954 was in the offing and that the government would order another precipitate pullout and sacrifice French honor to political expediency. Many saw in war hero Charles de Gaulle, who had not held office since 1946, the only public figure capable of rallying the nation and giving direction to the French government.

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