Paper 2 – Paper 2
Algerian War of Independence – Guerrilla Warfare
Question: How important was the strategy of guerrilla warfare for ensuring that Algeria gained independence?
Introduction: As in all introductions, you need to explain any key terms in the question. Here you need to give a brief definition of guerrilla warfare. You also need to put the conflict into context – provide dates and explain that the FLN was the Algerian group carrying out the guerrilla tactics. Also set out your key argument.
Section 1: Always deal first with the issue that is given to you in the title. Thus here you need to look at the FLN’s strategy of guerrilla warfare. Remember that you are not just describing the guerrilla tactics but assessing their effectiveness. The key issue here is the impact that guerrilla warfare had on the tactics of the French Army. Although guerrilla tactics were not successful in defeating the French forces or in winning the battle of Algiers, the fact that they forced the army into retaliating with similar tactics (e.g.torture) alienated French public opinion against the war.
It was also difficult for the French Army to destroy the guerrilla forces completely or to win the support of the Algerian population, and they were forced into a costly and drawn-out struggle.
Section 2: Interestingly, in this war the OAS also used guerrilla warfare. How did this help the
Algerian cause of independence?
Section 3: The question is asking you to make an assessment of the effectiveness of guerrilla warfare, and so you need to assess the contribution of any other factors to FLN success. Thus you may also want to consider here the actions of de Gaulle.
Question: Analyze the reasons for the outbreak of war in Algeria in 1954.
For this question you need to consider whether you are going to divide the causes of the war into long-term and short-term causes, or whether you are going to structure your answer around the different issues that led to the conflict:
 France’s colonization policies
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The influence of the colons (pieds-noirs)
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World War II
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Failure of French political reform after World War II
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Events in Egypt
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Events in other French colonies – Indochina, Morocco and Tunisia

Question: What were the reasons for the outcome of the Algerian War?
This question is very similar to the question on guerrilla warfare, except here you can decide the order in which you deal with the different factors. The order you choose might depend on what you consider to be the most important factor – a good idea might be to deal with this factor first.
Points to consider include:
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The role of de Gaulle
 The effectiveness of the FLN’s guerrilla tactics
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The impact of the French Army’s tactics, e.g. in the battle of Algiers and the use of torture, particularly the effect that these tactics had on French public opinion.
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The effect of the OAS, and again how this affected French public opinion.
Essay skills review activity
The opening words – or ‘stem’- of an essay question are important for telling you what exactly you should be aiming to do in your essay, and what the focus of your key arguments should be.
Below are several different possible essays on the Falklands War. The opening key words or phrases have been italicized. In pairs, briefly discuss what each of the words/phrases is expecting you to do in the essay and how they might have an impact on how you structure the essay.
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Analyze the causes of the Falklands War.
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Assess the results of the Falklands War.
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Account for why the Falklands War remained a limited war.
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Evaluate the contribution made by a) sea power and b) air power to the British victory in the Falklands War.
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To what extent was foreign support the reason for British victory in the Falklands War?
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Examine the impact of economic factors in causing the Falklands War.
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How far was ‘misunderstanding’ the cause of the Falklands War?
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In what ways can the Falklands War be seen as an ‘unexpected war’?