Evening star., 1961-04-26
NIGERIA
Collapse Of Revolt
Comes Suddenly


already had rejected the re-
bellion. Throughout the day
army units in Algeria rallied to
Gen. de Gaulle. A stream of
air force planes, including one
flight of l8 transports. fled in
surgent-threatened air fields
and flew to France. An insur-
gent paratroop column that
marched on the big naval base
Of MerS-el-Kebir, adjoining
Oran. was warned off by gun
fire from naval vessels in the
harbor.
With the surrender of Con-
Stantine and Oran to govern
ment forces. it appeared that
the insurgents were preparing
for a last ditch stand in Algiers,
But the stand turned into a
rout. There was no immedi-
ate word as to the total num-
ber of casualties in the few
skirmisheS. Four gendarmes
were wounded in one brief
battle with paratroopers in
front of the Hotel Aletti.
A Navy detachment took over
Radio Algiers. which in rebel
hands once boasted that all
Algeria was in insurgent hands.
The station switched to an
nouncements that the rebellion
was over and ordered the street
crowds to disperse.
The rebellion, though short
er and far less bloody than
the January, 1860, uprising in
Algiers. had posed a far great
er threat to France and Gen
de Gaulle.
Last year it was a badly Or
ganized group of settlers who
defied the government for a
week from a barricaded posi-
ton in Algiers. This time. pro-
fessional soldiers backed by
armed might challenged Gen
de Gaulle.
Blockade Aided
/ But metropolitan France raj
lied behind Gen. de Gaulle and
the army rebels at the least
faced slow starvation from ar
economic blockade the govern
ment quickly put into effect.
! France had two jittery nights
fearing an attempt by invad-
ing paratroopers to seize Paris
But the air force did not de-
feet, and the invasion did moi
materialize.
Gen. de Gaulle now is ex.
pected to press ahead with
peace negotiations with Al
geria's Moslem nationalists Il
end the siX-and-a -half-year'
old war in the North African
territory. 1t was the prospec
Of these negotiations tina
touched off the generals re-
volt.
Life in Algiers was steadil!
returning to normal today
Stores and shops were open
and bus traffic rolled on sched
ule. But gendarmes and rio
police stood guard around Ike.
buildings and newspaper of
fices. The Forum Squar
bristled with gendames, rio
police and military vehicles.
Shooting occurred sporadic
ally during the night but endet
as dawn broke over the city.
Paris Relaxing
Some protective measures re
manned in force in Paris. l
was announced that strict con
troll Of air traffic would con
tinue, with flights permitte,
only on official authorization
The precaution seemed only
formality, however.
The thousands OF securit
police guarding the Elyse
Palace, the National Assembl
building and other government
centers in Paris were with
drawn. Tanks rumbled back
suburban motor pools. Lon
lines Of green and yellow buse
that had been held in readines
for, use as street barricade
went back to work haulin
commuters.
Algerian Affairs Ministe
Louis JOKE and Gen. Jean Oil,
the new commander in chic
Of military forces in Algeri;
flew to Algiers after a confer
, ence with Premier Michel Debrl
Across Algeria's eastern fror
: tier, Tunisians were jubilant 6
! the speedy collapse Of the mt
!, tiny. They had feared the right
wing generals would launch a
y attack against Algerian reb,
,. units grouped in Tunisia.