Film Analysis: The Battle Of Algiers

The Battle of Algiers is a 1966 historical war film, and it takes place during the Algerian War (1954-1962). The film is about the struggle between guerrilla fighters (FLN) over their independence from French oppression. It gives an inner perspective on the organization of a guerrilla movement, the rationality behind such a revolt, the methods of colonial power to suppress the opposition, and the reaction of the citizens in between the political and violent crossfire. Lastly, the movie teaches how to understand asymmetric warfare, and how the U.S. should approach insurgencies if it continues choosing to be a part of conflicts such as the Vietnam and Iraq Wars. Unlike symmetric battles, where military power is largely the deciding factor in victory, the U.S. must realize that asymmetric wars differ greatly and that the strong often lose. If the U.S. seeks to win the difficult situation it places itself in, it must understand how insurgents fight wars, and it must plan accordingly.

Fighting insurgents, who use guerilla tactics, is far from direct. In guerilla warfare, the insurgents use stealth, support from local citizens, and even the environment to execute their attacks. A large military force is not strong in numbers when it can’t fight in numbers. In the movie, members of the guerrilla infiltrate the police station simply by walking in and expressing the desire to speak to the police about a civilian problem. Shortly after, they killed all the policemen in the building using a surprise attack. The guerilla members then retreated into the labyrinth of the Casbah, with its narrow alleyways and numerous hiding spots. The essence of the problem is that counterinsurgency is vulnerable to stealth attacks, while the insurgency is virtually invulnerable to direct