Opération Bison
Encyclopedia
Opération Bison is the name given to the French
military operation in Chad
in the years 1969–1972.
Chad was a former French colony that had become independent in 1960. In 1965 erupted the Chadian Civil War
, and a year later the FROLINAT
, an insurgent group, was formed to overthrow the Chadian President François Tombalbaye
. By 1968 the revolt had extended to most of the country, and the FROLINAT could count on roughly 3000 men.
This forced Tombalbaye to ask in 1968 for help from the French President Charles de Gaulle
, counting on the military accords between the two countries; firstly, the Defence Accord signed on August 15, 1960, and secondly, the Assistance Militaire Technique (AMT) accord, signed May 19, 1964. Originally France limited itself to provide logistic support to the Chadian Armed Forces
; but when it became clear the situation was not improving, De Gaulle reluctantly started on April 14, 1969 Operation Bison, sending 3000 well equipped French soldiers against the ragtag FROLINAT forces. Among the conditions for the French help was the acceptance by Tombalbaye of an Administrative Reform Mission (MRA), that was to reform the army and the civil service and propose radical changes to the government's policies.
The command of the operation was at first given to General Michel Arnaud
, a former companion of the General Philippe Leclerc. Tombalbaye immediately attempted him to dictate the mission of the Operation; for example it is reported that on one occasion, Tombalbaye summoned Arnauld to a meeting of the Defence Council and ordered him to eliminate all the Arab
s living at N'Goura, a locality not far from the capital Fort-Lamy, because they didn't deserve to be called Chadians. Arnaud bluntly awnsered "I am a French general and will not engage in genocide"; a moment of silence followed, after which Tombalbaye ordered the general to take the first flight to France.
These tensions brought to Arnaud's replacement in September with General Edouard Cortadellas, who went on better with Tombalbaye. The French were militarily successful, constantly defeating the rebels; this, with the reforms of the MRA, contributed to the relative calm of 1970 and 1971, especially in central and eastern Chad, where the French concentrated themselves. By 1971 the rebels were for the most part active only in isolated pockets in the Tibesti, and Cortadellas himself admitted that the Toubou
could not be fully submitted, when he said: "I believe we should draw a line below [the Tibesti Region] and leave them to their stones. We can never subdue them."
The French used against the insurgents tactics that emphasized the use of air power for ground support, similarly to what the United States
was doing in those years in Vietnam
. This helped the French win every engagement with the rebels, and especially useful were their 20 mm helicopter
-mounted cannons.
In July 1971 the French ceased direct military involvement, and on August 28, 1972 the operation was officially considered ended, as symbolized by the departure the same day of Cortadellas, with most of the troops. Cortadellas' place in Chad was taken by the General J.-H. Auffray, with a single French Marine regiment stationed in the capital and 600 army advisors, that were deployed in Chadian uniforms. The operation cost the lives of 50 Frenchmen (among whom was Cortadellas' son), but failed in destroying the insurgency, that promptly took new vigor when the French departed.
Auffray was to remain in command till October 1974, when he was replaced. In 1975 all remaining French were forced to leave Chad, because of a crisis in Franco-Chadian relations generated by the Claustre affaire. French troops were to return three years later with Opération Tacaud
, again to save the government from the FROLINAT
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
military operation in Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
in the years 1969–1972.
Chad was a former French colony that had become independent in 1960. In 1965 erupted the Chadian Civil War
Chadian Civil War
The Transitional Government of National Unity was the coalition government of armed groups that nominally ruled Chad from 1979 to 1982, during the most chaotic phase of the long-running civil war that began in 1965. The GUNT replaced the fragile alliance led by Félix Malloum and Hissène Habré,...
, and a year later the FROLINAT
FROLINAT
-Origins:The organization was born as the result of a political union between the leftist Chadian National Union , led by Ibrahim Abatcha, and the General Union of the Children of Chad which was led by Ahmed Hassan Musa. Musa was close to the Muslim Brotherhood and was an Islamist...
, an insurgent group, was formed to overthrow the Chadian President François Tombalbaye
François Tombalbaye
François Tombalbaye, also called Ngarta Tombalbaye , was a teacher and a trade union activist who served as the first president of Chad. He was born in the southern region of the country in the Moyen-Chari Prefecture near the city of Koumara and was of the Sara ethnic group, the prominent ethnicity...
. By 1968 the revolt had extended to most of the country, and the FROLINAT could count on roughly 3000 men.
This forced Tombalbaye to ask in 1968 for help from the French President Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
, counting on the military accords between the two countries; firstly, the Defence Accord signed on August 15, 1960, and secondly, the Assistance Militaire Technique (AMT) accord, signed May 19, 1964. Originally France limited itself to provide logistic support to the Chadian Armed Forces
Chadian Armed Forces
The Chadian Armed Forces were the army of the central government of Chad from 1960 to 1979, under the southern presidents François Tombalbaye and Félix Malloum, until the downfall of the latter in 1979, when the head of the gendarmerie, Wadel Abdelkader Kamougué, assumed command...
; but when it became clear the situation was not improving, De Gaulle reluctantly started on April 14, 1969 Operation Bison, sending 3000 well equipped French soldiers against the ragtag FROLINAT forces. Among the conditions for the French help was the acceptance by Tombalbaye of an Administrative Reform Mission (MRA), that was to reform the army and the civil service and propose radical changes to the government's policies.
The command of the operation was at first given to General Michel Arnaud
Michel Arnaud
Michel Arnaud was a French Army general that distinguished himself in World War II, and for this was decorated with the Ordre de la Libération and made Grand Officier de la Légion d'honneur.-Biography:...
, a former companion of the General Philippe Leclerc. Tombalbaye immediately attempted him to dictate the mission of the Operation; for example it is reported that on one occasion, Tombalbaye summoned Arnauld to a meeting of the Defence Council and ordered him to eliminate all the Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
s living at N'Goura, a locality not far from the capital Fort-Lamy, because they didn't deserve to be called Chadians. Arnaud bluntly awnsered "I am a French general and will not engage in genocide"; a moment of silence followed, after which Tombalbaye ordered the general to take the first flight to France.
These tensions brought to Arnaud's replacement in September with General Edouard Cortadellas, who went on better with Tombalbaye. The French were militarily successful, constantly defeating the rebels; this, with the reforms of the MRA, contributed to the relative calm of 1970 and 1971, especially in central and eastern Chad, where the French concentrated themselves. By 1971 the rebels were for the most part active only in isolated pockets in the Tibesti, and Cortadellas himself admitted that the Toubou
Toubou
The Tubu are an ethnic group that live mainly in northern Chad, but also in Libya, Niger and Sudan....
could not be fully submitted, when he said: "I believe we should draw a line below [the Tibesti Region] and leave them to their stones. We can never subdue them."
The French used against the insurgents tactics that emphasized the use of air power for ground support, similarly to what the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was doing in those years in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. This helped the French win every engagement with the rebels, and especially useful were their 20 mm helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
-mounted cannons.
In July 1971 the French ceased direct military involvement, and on August 28, 1972 the operation was officially considered ended, as symbolized by the departure the same day of Cortadellas, with most of the troops. Cortadellas' place in Chad was taken by the General J.-H. Auffray, with a single French Marine regiment stationed in the capital and 600 army advisors, that were deployed in Chadian uniforms. The operation cost the lives of 50 Frenchmen (among whom was Cortadellas' son), but failed in destroying the insurgency, that promptly took new vigor when the French departed.
Auffray was to remain in command till October 1974, when he was replaced. In 1975 all remaining French were forced to leave Chad, because of a crisis in Franco-Chadian relations generated by the Claustre affaire. French troops were to return three years later with Opération Tacaud
Opération Tacaud
Opération Tacaud was a French military operation in Chad, that took place between 20 February 1978 and May 1980. Its aim was to support the Chadian army in protecting N'Djamena from the FROLINAT.- History :...
, again to save the government from the FROLINAT
FROLINAT
-Origins:The organization was born as the result of a political union between the leftist Chadian National Union , led by Ibrahim Abatcha, and the General Union of the Children of Chad which was led by Ahmed Hassan Musa. Musa was close to the Muslim Brotherhood and was an Islamist...
.