...Review: The Battle of Algiers Gillo Pontecorvo was a director way ahead of his time. He directed two anti-colonialism in the 1960, when most of the movie-going audience was probably comfortably numb to the plight of the Third World. He created a film genre (anti-colonialism) that while at first controversial would eventually become a mainstream source for modern classics. He was one of the first directors to take on the challenging subjects of terrorism and torture, in an era where the preferred treatment of the historical film was sterilization, not realism. Pontecorvo portrayed women realistically, not as an idealized pieces of scenery. Most important, Pontecorvo achieved the admirable feat of creating films that accurately reflected historical accuracy and cinematic excellence. And he did all this while advancing a political thesis. In The Battle of Algiers (1966) Gillo Ponetcorvo uses factual content extrapolated from the history of the Algerian War to demonstrate a historical lesson: to defeat an ideologically entrenched, locally supported underground nationalist movement, you must employ measures (suppression of civil liberties, police brutality, military aggression, and eventually torture) that while crucial to winning battles against underground networks (like the FLN in Algiers) in the short run, these counter-insurgency actions will ultimately serve to bolster the opposition to authority in the long run. Eventually, as Pontecorvo's coda suggests, the tactics of the...
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...Gillo Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers is a must see movie for all. From acting to directing to politics, the audience cannot help but appreciate the film and see all of its glory. But one cannot watch it without understanding and accepting the true meaning behind this film. It is the real deal about anti-colonialism and freedom. Pontecorvo sets it up as a documentary, not wanting to take any sides. The film is very straightforward and makes the viewer feel like they are really there by a lot of the scenes that are shot. The score plays a big role in the movie by adding suspense, tension, and unity. The film had a lot of criticism when it first came out because it was the first movie set in Algeria, the first movie about anti-colonialism, and the first movie that showed a lot of violence and torture scenes. The Battle of Algiers is about a freedom fighter Algerian group called the National Liberation Front, or the FLN, who is trying to gain their independence from the French foreign legion in the early 1960’s. It is a bout a clash between two groups of people who wholeheartedly believe they have the right to occupy the land of Algeria. The French have been ruling there for the past 150 years without any resistance, so they believe why should they give it up all of a sudden. Yet the Algerians have dwelled in this land forever and feel like it is time to stand up and gain their independence. The opening scene starts out with a torture scene; any film that starts out that...
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...change that allowed them to make up for their military incompetence. The confidence gained by the French after they wont the Battle of Algiers blinded them to consider the possibility that the FLN would fight back yet again. The French authorities won a significant battle but ultimately failed in their goal to sustain their political control over the region as Independence for Algeria was granted in 1962. The significant loss of army men, resources and territories during the battle in Algiers did not deter the will of the FLN to fight which proves how this strong strategy of defense used by the weak is key to securing victory. Record includes Ivan Arreguin-Toft’s theory of how a specific strategy used by both sides greatly affects the outcome. He...
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...independence in the Algerian war by the FLN after numerous defeats by the French during the Battle of Algiers goes to show that weak forces should never be underestimated. Their superior political determination, strategy and ability to gain foreign support enable them to achieve victory, especially against a strong democratic...
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...Decolonization in the Battle of Algiers In Frantz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth, violence was a cornerstone in the very heart of Decolonization. The proletariat in The Communist Manifesto was recognized as people with the right to congregate and bring up issues for their class to be recognized. However the proletariat class of the colonized countries was not given the same opportunity because their class was determined by race and was perceived as an inferior that can be denied basic human rights because of their inferiority. This is coupled by the fact that the settlers are completely thriving in all aspects of life while the native people are left to barely scrape by in crowded neighborhoods for an extended period of time. Regardless...
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...dominationintervention by a powerful country in a weaker one. Simultaneous mise-en-scène analysis of the film clips Cleo from 5 to 7 and the Battle of Algiers establishes a relationship between the two films as expressions of the historical legacy of colonialism. Agnès Varda, true to her dialectical film making practices, showcases Cleo as a sexual commodity and the product of the French colonial male domineering attitude towards women. The Battle of Algiers conversely shows the Muslim women exchanging their veils for lipstick, enabling them to strike against colonialism by utilizing the patrilineal colonialist view of women to their advantage. The persona of the prototypical woman created by the historical legacy of colonialism is used as an effective tactic for revolutionary decolonization purposes. Specific examples will illustrate how the mise-en-scène elements of costumes, lighting, the combination of mirrors with camera work and props as well as lack of props were used to present this concept. An evaluation of the interactions of the actors with these elements and each other will show the way the mise-en-scènes produced meaning about space, gender and culture relative to this topic. Both clips omitted the glitz and male gaze of Hollywood in favour of a rawness emphasized by documentary realism in black and white. The Battle of Algiers setting in a windowless single level represented women grounded with an urgent secretive mission. In contrast, Cleo’s random downward drift...
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...There’s always more than one side to a story. After watching Gilles Pontecorvo's The Battle of Algiers, I actually felt melancholy for the native Algerians and French even though they were fighting against each other. In the film, Pontecorvo depicts both sides suffering through so much during Algeria’s war for independence. I didn’t know of this war but the film opened my eyes to the discrepancy that was going on in Algeria at this time in history. The film takes place shortly after World War I, and you can see the distress within the people of Algeria. They were totally against imperialistic rule, and indeed they tried to overrule colonialism amongst themselves. The National Liberation Front also known as the FLN was a small group who took matters in their own hands. They had people set off bombs in crowded areas; however I didn’t understand the point of that because they were still killing innocent people by doing this. Yes the French did do horrific things to the Algerian women and children but two wrongs don’t make a right. I felt this wasn’t a smart idea on the FLN part yet again; things were different back then than how it is now. The French fought fire with more fire. I noticed that when there were scenes of the French armies approaching the sounds were different from scenes of the Algerians or the FLN. The scenes of the French army seemed dark and there were always gunshots in the background. To me those are common signs of war or that something evil is about to happen...
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...To The Shores of Tripoli Muslim foes. Kidnappings. How the Barbary Wars foreshadowed things to come By CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS Within days of his March 1801 inauguration as the third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson ordered a naval and military expedition to North Africa, without the authorization of Congress, to put down regimes involved in slavery and piracy. The war was the first in which the U.S. flag was carried and planted overseas; it saw the baptism by fire of the U.S. Marine Corps—whose anthem boasts of action on "the shores of Tripoli"—and it prefigured later struggles with both terrorism and jihad. The Barbary States of North Africa—Algiers, Tunis, Morocco and Tripoli (today's Libya)—had for centuries sustained themselves by preying on the maritime commerce of others. Income was raised by direct theft, the extortion of bribes or "protection" and the capture of crews and passengers to be used as slaves. The historian Robert Davis, in his book Christian Slaves, Muslim Masters: White Slavery in the Mediterranean, the Barbary Coast and Italy, 1500-1800, estimates that as many as 1.25 million Europeans and Americans were enslaved. The Barbary raiders—so called because they were partly of Berber origin—struck as far north as England and Ireland. It appears, for example, that almost every inhabitant of the Irish village of Baltimore was carried off in 1631. Samuel Pepys and Daniel Defoe...
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...equivalent of "In the beginning . . ." With this truth, all of his writings sound revolt, for he refused to be deceived by social, religious, or individual submissions that ignored or defied the irreducible truth that humanity alone is responsible for itself, its meaning, and its measure. Camus' writings are a testament to a continuing belief in humanity's exiled but noble condition. Lucien Camus, Albert's father, was killed in 1914, during World War I's Battle of the Marne, and the year-old child was reared by his deaf mother. She had little money and was apparently a rather joyless and boring companion for her son. It is little wonder that he spent much of his time with athletics, studies, and necessary part-time employment. When he finished school, a university degree seemed the most important challenge available to a poverty-stricken student. Camus was enthusiastic and ambitious about his studies, but he was not able to complete them immediately. In 1930, while he was a student of philosophy at the University of Algiers, he almost died during a bout...
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...Algeria on November 7, 1913 (“Albert Camus” The Famous People). He was born to a cellarman and a cleaning woman, both of whom lived in poverty (“Albert Camus Biography”). Camus lived with his father when he was first born. At one year-old, in 1914, Camus’ father died in the Battle of Marne during World War II (“Albert Camus” The Famous People). After his father died he lived with his mom in a three bedroom apartment without electricity or running water and with a toilet that had to be shared among other apartments. At that time children were only required to complete school up to the primary level. It was one of his primary teachers, Louis Germain that had a large impact on his education. Germain pushed him to go to high school, where he was exposed to many different cultures. Students at his high school were French, Spanish, Italian, Greek, and Arabian. Being exposed to many different cultures impacted what Camus wrote about. Unfortunately, he had to refrain from school for some time due to an attack of tuberculosis in 1930 (“Albert Camus Biography”). Following high school, Camus enrolled at the University of Algiers in 1933 (Biography of Albert Camus [Page 19]). While enrolled at the University of Algiers, he had a mentor named Jean Grenier, who is said to have, “...arguably had the greatest influence in his life.” Grenier taught philosophy, which is what many of Camus’ writings are based upon. In addition to his mentor, a bar where Camus went to relax had a little bit of an...
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...Shatt al-Arab Shatt al-Arab Shatt al-Arab near Basra, Iraq. Origin Tigris–Euphrates confluence at Al-Qurnah Mouth Persian Gulf Basin countries Iraq, Iran Length 200 km (120 mi) Source elevation 4 m (13 ft) Mouth elevation 0 m (0 ft) Avg. discharge 1,750 m3/s (62,000 cu ft/s) at mouth Shatt al-Arab (Arabic: شط العرب, "Stream of the Arabs"; Persian: اَروَندرود, Arvand Rud, "Swift River"), is a river in Southwest Asia of some 200 km (120 mi) in length, formed by the confluence of the Euphrates and the Tigris in the town of al-Qurnah in the Basra Governorate of southern Iraq. The southern end of the river constitutes the border between Iraq and Iran down to the mouth of the river as it discharges into the Persian Gulf. It varies in width from about 232 metres (761 ft) at Basra to 800 metres (2,600 ft) at its mouth. It is thought that the waterway formed relatively recently in geologic time, with the Tigris and Euphrates originally emptying into the Persian Gulf via a channel further to the west. The Karun river, a tributary which joins the waterway from the Iranian side, deposits large amounts of silt into the river; this necessitates continuous dredging to keep it navigable.[1] The area is judged to hold the largest date palm forest in the world. In the mid-1970s, the region included 17 to 18 million date palms, an estimated one-fifth of the world's 90 million palm trees. But by 2002, war, salt, and pests had wiped out more than 14 million of the palms, including...
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...non civilian targets. The age of modern terrorism might be said to have begun in1968 when the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) hijacked an El Al airliner en route from Tel Aviv to Rome. While hijackings of airliners had occurred before, this was the first time that the nationality of the carrier (Israeli) and its symbolic value was a specific operational aim. Also a first was the deliberate use of the passengers as hostages for demands made publicly against the Israeli government. The combination of these unique events, added to the international scope of the operation, and gained significant media attention. The founder of PFLP, Dr. George Habash observed that the level of coverage was tremendously greater than battles with Israeli soldiers in their previous area of operations. "At least the world is talking about us now” (Andrews and Kifner, 2008). Another aspect of this internationalization is the cooperation between extremist organizations in conducting terrorist operations. Cooperative training between Palestinian groups and European radicals started as early as 1970, and joint operations between the PFLP and the Japanese Red Army (JRA) began in 1974. Since then international...
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...Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight D. Eisenhower is arguably the most recognizable military commander of the 20th century. His success in WWII played a huge role in the United States victory in Europe. It is extremely remarkable that Eisenhower actually had no field command experience before WWII (Chen). He clearly possessed naturally leadership qualities that complimented his strategic knowledge. From the beaches of Normandy, to the western front of Germany, General Eisenhower commanded the Allies. If it a lesser man was in charge the outcome of the war and the world we live in today could have been very different. Eisenhower was born in Denison, Texas on October 14th, 1890. He grew up in Kansas in a poor family. Eisenhower was known as a good athlete and a hard worker. In 1915 he graduated from West Point and was stationed in San Antonio as a second lieutenant. The First World War ended right before Eisenhower was scheduled to go, which greatly upset him. He then went on the graduate first in his class from the Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Next, the future president served under General John J. Pershing as a military aid. He later served as an aid to General Douglas MacArthur for seven years in the Philippines. In 1939 he returned home just at the outbreak of the Second World War. In September 1941, Eisenhower was promoted to brigadier general. Just three months later Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Eisenhower was then called to Washington...
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...trade between Europe and West Africa. By the early sixteenth century, European bases were being built on the coast and trade and with the wealthier Europeans they soon became the prime importance to West Africa. North Africa had declined in both political and economic importance, while the Saharan crossing remained long and treacherous. The major blow to trans-Saharan trade was the battle of the Tondibi in 1591-2. Morocco sent troops across the Sahara and attacked Timbuktu, Gao and some other important trading centres, destroying buildings and property and exiling prominent citizens. This disruption led trade to a dramatic decline in the importance of these cities and resulting animosity reduced trade considerably. These were all major cities that had helped provide all the support needed for the trans saharan trade route . Although much reduced, trans-Saharan trade continued. But trade routes to the West African coast became increasingly easy, particularly after the French invasion of the Sahel in the 1890s and subsequent construction of railways to the interior. A railway line from Dakar to Algiers via the Niger bend was planned but never constructed. With the independence of nations in the region in the 1960s, the north–south routes were severed by national boundaries. National governments were hostile to Tuareg nationalism and so made few efforts to maintain or support trans-Saharan trade, and the Tuareg Rebellion of the 1990s and Algerian Civil War further disrupted routes...
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...I decided to interview and write this paper on my grandfather. I thought he would be the best selection since this man was raised overseas and seen a lot of North African and European/ Arabic culture and was part of the Muslim religion for some time. In this paper I will be writing down the answers I received from him while conducting an interview, but I will write the answer in a way of a story. Born in the City of Algiers Yousef (or as he sometimes went by in America Joe) Mouheb, was born in the 40s my grandfather has grown up with a passion for cars; learning how they work, repairing them, and customizing them. He lived most of his younger life in Algeria; the culture there was much different then here, especially when it came to family....
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