{"product_id":"2001-journal-de-france-cultur-la-torture-pratiquee-par-l-armee-francaise-pendant-la-guerre-d-algerie","title":"2001 - Journal de France Culture: Torture practiced by the French army during the Algerian War","description":"\u003cp\u003eFrance Culture Journal – May\/June 2001. Radio France Culture. Context: Invited to talk about the torture practiced by the French army during the Algerian War, on the day of the publication of General Paul Aussares' book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e Duration of the topic: 7 minutes (Start of the topic at 3 minutes, end of the topic at 10 minutes) \u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ltixemGoLCA?si=qOPSx6HdZu1Jeimf\" title=\"YouTube video player\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e A presentation by historian Jean-Luc Einaudi, author of * \u003ci\u003eThe Battle of Paris\u003c\/i\u003e * and * \u003ci\u003eAméziane Farm\u003c\/i\u003e *, following the publication of General Paul Aussaresses' memoir. Einaudi's remarks shed historical and legal light on the practices of the French army and the political responsibilities during the Algerian War.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003e 1. The Nature of General Aussaresses' Confessions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e Jean-Luc Einaudi points out that while the use of torture is not a revelation in itself, General Aussaresses' work takes an unprecedented step by explicitly claiming criminal acts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e \n\u003cb\u003eMass executions:\u003c\/b\u003e Einaudi notes that the general is now claiming responsibility for \"mass executions.\" He recalls that during the Battle of Algiers, more than 3,000 suspected Algerians disappeared, a figure initially recorded by Paulette Thévenin.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\n\n \u003cb\u003eThe assassination of Larbi Ben M'hidi:\u003c\/b\u003e The most striking element is Aussaresses' own admission of the murder of Larbi Ben M'hidi. Einaudi describes Ben M'hidi as the \"equivalent of Jean Moulin\" for the Algerian resistance. Until this confession, the official version of the French state maintained the theory of suicide.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003e 2. The Debate on Legality and Ethics\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e The historian strongly opposes General Aussaresses' line of defense, which justifies his actions by \"duty\" and the usefulness of the circumstances.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ctable border=\"1\"\u003e\n\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e Aussaresses' point of view\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e Analysis by Jean-Luc Einaudi\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e Actions in accordance with military ethics in wartime.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e Torture was \"outlawed\" in 1956-1957.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\n \u003cp\u003ePersonal responsibility assumed because it was deemed \"useful\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e A clandestine, institutionalized practice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e A feeling of having fulfilled one's duty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e The demand was deemed \"abject\" and criminally punishable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e Einaudi insists that torture has always been a crime, yesterday as today. He considers the attempt to \"legitimize\" these crimes in 2001 to be particularly serious.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003e 3. The Responsibility of the Political Apparatus\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e According to Jean-Luc Einaudi, the military did not act in isolation. He points to a \"total\" responsibility on the part of the political authorities at the time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\n\n \u003cb\u003eFrançois Mitterrand's role:\u003c\/b\u003e As Keeper of the Seals (Minister of Justice), François Mitterrand is described as having been fully informed. Einaudi specifies that the government directives, which included \"special powers\" delegating police missions to the army (notably to General Massu's paratroopers), bore his signature.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e \n\u003cb\u003eJudicial initiatives:\u003c\/b\u003e It is recalled that Mitterrand, as Minister of Justice, took the initiative of the first executions of Algerian fighters sentenced to death in June 1956.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\n\n \u003cb\u003eOther officials cited:\u003c\/b\u003e Responsibility is shared by the highest levels of the state at the time, including:\n\u003cul\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\n\n \u003cb\u003eRobert Lacoste\u003c\/b\u003e (Minister residing in Algeria)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e \u003cb\u003eMax Lejeune\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e \u003cb\u003eMaurice Bourgès-Maunoury\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e \u003cb\u003eGuy Mollet\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003e 4. Recommendations and Requirements for the Future\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e In response to these admissions, Jean-Luc Einaudi advocates several measures to break with what he calls a \"state lie\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e Legal Proceedings\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e Einaudi believes that a former general's claim of criminal practices in 2001 falls under the law and should be subject to immediate criminal prosecution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e Position of the Current Authorities\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e The historian considers it \"essential\" that the highest authorities of the State (the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister):\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003col\u003e\n\n \u003cli\u003eThey officially comment on these revelations.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e They clearly condemn these crimes committed in the name of the French state.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e Search for Truth\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e He supports the idea of ​​creating a \u003cb\u003eparliamentary commission of inquiry\u003c\/b\u003e . For Einaudi, any mechanism enabling the establishment of the truth about these \"state crimes\" must be implemented in order to put an end to a cover-up that has lasted for several decades.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Archives de Jean-Luc Einaudi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52702149771607,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0902\/6781\/2183\/files\/jean-luc-einaudi_1_6e47ecef-fe3a-4975-990a-9c803b570b0e.png?v=1769856166","url":"https:\/\/jean-luc-einaudi.fr\/en\/products\/2001-journal-de-france-cultur-la-torture-pratiquee-par-l-armee-francaise-pendant-la-guerre-d-algerie","provider":"Les Ami.e.s de Jean-Luc Einaudi","version":"1.0","type":"link"}