The Secret Army: The Rise and Fall of the OAS in Algeria

How a French Terrorist Group Tried to Change History

De: Julien Peltier

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

What happens when soldiers turn against their own nation?

In the early 1960s, as Algeria fought for independence, a secret French organization waged a brutal campaign of bombings, assassinations, and sabotage. They called themselves the Organisation de l’Armée Secrète (OAS). To their followers, they were patriots. To the world, they were terrorists.

The Secret Army: The Rise and Fall of the OAS in Algeria is a gripping, cinematic history of one of the most dangerous underground movements of the 20th century. From the chaos of colonial Algiers to the near-assassination of Charles de Gaulle, it tells the untold story of how a group of generals, settlers, and ex-soldiers tried to derail history—and nearly plunged France into civil war.

Inside you’ll discover:

✅ The roots of the OAS in the Algerian War of Independence.

✅ The failed generals’ coup of 1961—and how Paris trembled.

✅ The assassination attempts against Charles de Gaulle, including the infamous ambush at Petit-Clamart.

✅ The OAS’s campaign of terror, from car bombs to massacres.

✅ The collapse of the movement after the Évian Accords and Algeria’s bloody independence.

✅ The long legacy of the OAS in French politics, identity, and memory.

Fast-paced and vividly written, this book reads like a thriller but delivers true history. Perfect for readers of Ben Macintyre, Max Hastings, or Antony Beevor, it shines a light on a forgotten chapter of Cold War–era conflict that still echoes in today’s debates about terrorism, extremism, and fractured nations.

If you love gripping history that feels alive on the page, this book belongs on your shelf.