Operation Resurrection
Encyclopedia
Operation Resurrection was a planned military operation of the French Army
that sought to take over the capital Paris
in order to force the return of French
leader Charles de Gaulle
to head the government. Masterminded by Gen. Jacques Massu
, the operation was preceded by the "Operation Corse", where the French Army took over Corsica
. The operation was canceled after French politicians immediately arranged for de Gaulle's return to power.
that resisted Nazi Germany
during World War II
, becoming a national and military hero. Upon the liberation of France in 1944, General de Gaulle became prime minister
in a provisional government. However, disagreements and political conflicts prompted him to quit and retire from the military and politics in 1946. A decade later, the ensuing political conflicts of the French Fourth Republic
, aggravated by the outbreak of the Algerian War and economic discontent led to popular revolts against the government, headed by fractious political parties. Uncertainty against the government's policy on Algeria (many political parties supported giving Algeria independence) angered the millions of French settlers, army officers and right-wing politicians in France. French army generals in both Paris and Algiers began exerting pressure on French politicians to return de Gaulle to a position of power.
, prompting Gen. Jacques Massu
to create a French settler's committee to demand the formation of a new national government under Gen. Charles de Gaulle, who was a national hero and had advocated a strong military policy, nationalism
and the retention of French control over Algeria. Gen. Massu, who had gained prominence and authority when he ruthlessly suppressed Algerian militants, famously declared that unless Gen. de Gaulle was returned to power, the French Army would openly revolt; Gen. Massu and other senior generals covertly planned the take-over of Paris with 1,500 paratroopers preparing to take-over airports with the support of French Air Force
units. Armored units from Rambouillet
prepared to roll into Paris.
On May 24, French paratroopers from the Algerian corps landed on Corsica
, taking the French island in a bloodless action called "Operation Corse". Operation Resurrection would be implemented if de Gaulle was not approved as leader by the French parliament, if de Gaulle asked for military assistance to take power or to thwart any organized attempt by the French Communist Party
to seize power or stall de Gaulle's return.
in 1958.
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
that sought to take over the capital Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in order to force the return of French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
leader Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
to head the government. Masterminded by Gen. Jacques Massu
Jacques Massu
Jacques Émile Massu was a French general who fought in World War II, the First Indochina War, the Algerian War and the Suez crisis.-Early life:Jacques Massu was born in Châlons-sur-Marne to a family of military officers; his father was an artillery officer...
, the operation was preceded by the "Operation Corse", where the French Army took over Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
. The operation was canceled after French politicians immediately arranged for de Gaulle's return to power.
Background
General Charles de Gaulle had headed the Free French ForcesFree French Forces
The Free French Forces were French partisans in World War II who decided to continue fighting against the forces of the Axis powers after the surrender of France and subsequent German occupation and, in the case of Vichy France, collaboration with the Germans.-Definition:In many sources, Free...
that resisted Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, becoming a national and military hero. Upon the liberation of France in 1944, General de Gaulle became prime minister
Prime Minister of France
The Prime Minister of France in the Fifth Republic is the head of government and of the Council of Ministers of France. The head of state is the President of the French Republic...
in a provisional government. However, disagreements and political conflicts prompted him to quit and retire from the military and politics in 1946. A decade later, the ensuing political conflicts of the French Fourth Republic
French Fourth Republic
The French Fourth Republic was the republican government of France between 1946 and 1958, governed by the fourth republican constitution. It was in many ways a revival of the Third Republic, which was in place before World War II, and suffered many of the same problems...
, aggravated by the outbreak of the Algerian War and economic discontent led to popular revolts against the government, headed by fractious political parties. Uncertainty against the government's policy on Algeria (many political parties supported giving Algeria independence) angered the millions of French settlers, army officers and right-wing politicians in France. French army generals in both Paris and Algiers began exerting pressure on French politicians to return de Gaulle to a position of power.
Planned operation
Revolts and riots broke out in 1958 against the French government in AlgiersAlgiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
, prompting Gen. Jacques Massu
Jacques Massu
Jacques Émile Massu was a French general who fought in World War II, the First Indochina War, the Algerian War and the Suez crisis.-Early life:Jacques Massu was born in Châlons-sur-Marne to a family of military officers; his father was an artillery officer...
to create a French settler's committee to demand the formation of a new national government under Gen. Charles de Gaulle, who was a national hero and had advocated a strong military policy, nationalism
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
and the retention of French control over Algeria. Gen. Massu, who had gained prominence and authority when he ruthlessly suppressed Algerian militants, famously declared that unless Gen. de Gaulle was returned to power, the French Army would openly revolt; Gen. Massu and other senior generals covertly planned the take-over of Paris with 1,500 paratroopers preparing to take-over airports with the support of French Air Force
French Air Force
The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
units. Armored units from Rambouillet
Rambouillet
Rambouillet is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France.It is located in the suburbs of Paris southwest from the center...
prepared to roll into Paris.
On May 24, French paratroopers from the Algerian corps landed on Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
, taking the French island in a bloodless action called "Operation Corse". Operation Resurrection would be implemented if de Gaulle was not approved as leader by the French parliament, if de Gaulle asked for military assistance to take power or to thwart any organized attempt by the French Communist Party
French Communist Party
The French Communist Party is a political party in France which advocates the principles of communism.Although its electoral support has declined in recent decades, the PCF retains a large membership, behind only that of the Union for a Popular Movement , and considerable influence in French...
to seize power or stall de Gaulle's return.
Aftermath
On May 29, 1958 French politicians agreed upon calling on de Gaulle to take over the government as prime minister. The French Army's willingness to support an overthrow of the constitutional government was a significant development in French politics. With Army support, de Gaulle's government terminated the Fourth Republic and drew up a new constitution proclaiming the French Fifth RepublicFrench Fifth Republic
The Fifth Republic is the fifth and current republican constitution of France, introduced on 4 October 1958. The Fifth Republic emerged from the collapse of the French Fourth Republic, replacing the prior parliamentary government with a semi-presidential system...
in 1958.