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Colonial History

The Algerians of New Caledonia

The Algerians of New Caledonia

Over 2,000 insurgents, among them leaders of the revolt, faced trial in Constantine, Algeria, where they were presented not as anti-colonial leaders but as petty criminals. Because most of the men hailed from noble families, however, the French were wary of sentencing them to death. Instead, they decided to exile the men to the farthest place imaginable: New Caledonia.

A Century Ago, a Showdown Changed but Didn’t End North Africa Colonialism

A Formidable but Forgotten Battle

The Battle of Annual was among the greatest defeats for a colonial army in Africa. It made Abd el-Krim an anti-imperial icon; his guerrilla tactics were cited by Mao Zedong and Ho Chi Minh. In 1925, he would be Time magazine’s person of the year.