ABSTRACT
At the beginning all went well. Too well. As always. Anti-militarist and chauvinistic, France adores the 14 July parade but, since the time of General Boulanger, she has not liked seditious soldiers so much. There were those shouts at the Algiers Forum, which the radio broadcast in bursts, the governor’s palace was attacked, in the streets there were cries of ‘long live Massu’; in Paris there was unity. The trade unions decided to resist together. Monsieur Pflimlin’s heart was warmed: the President of the Council threw himself into the investiture ceremonies with the familiar anguish of the apprentice dictator attempting his coup d’état. He found the strength to quibble over the communist votes; but it was just to ease his conscience. All in all, pleasant evening, pleasant breeze, and that delightful mix of hope and concern that you find at all beginnings. Only, there was a pitfall: we had not seen everything yet.
