On this day, 1 November 1954, the Algerian war began as Algerians revolted against French colonial rule,

On this day, 1 November 1954, the Algerian war began as Algerians revolted against French colonial rule, and launched 70 simultaneous attacks on police and military targets around the country between midnight and 3 AM. 

The French military responded to the rebellion with extreme brutality, using widespread torture and killing hundreds of thousands of people, mostly civilians. Later on, French paramilitaries joined the conflict, carrying out terrorist attacks and murders of Algerian civilians. 


Back at home, French police murdered scores of people who demonstrated against French colonialism, mostly French Muslims and French Algerians, but also several white French communists. 
In total, French forces killed between 400,000 and 1.5 million Algerians, while losing around 25,000 troops, but the anti-colonial struggle continued until independence was achieved in 1962. 

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