A French military officer orchestrated a brazen assassination attempt against his own president in 1962, revealing how deeply divided nations can become when leaders challenge entrenched military interests over controversial policy decisions.
Colonial Policy Sparked Military Rebellion
President Charles de Gaulle’s decision to end French control of Algeria ignited a fierce backlash from military officers who viewed the move as a betrayal of French interests. High-ranking army officers went underground in February 1961 to form the Organisation armée secrète, a paramilitary group committed to preventing Algerian independence through violence and intimidation. The OAS launched an unsuccessful coup in Algiers in April 1961, then escalated to a campaign of sabotage and assassination targeting both Algeria and metropolitan France, with de Gaulle at the top of their list.
Thirteen Failed Attempts Preceded Petit-Clamart Attack
Lieutenant-Colonel Jean Bastien-Thiry designed an ambush plan calling for gunmen armed with submachine guns in two vans to intercept and attack de Gaulle’s convoy in Paris. Between May and June 1962, the conspirators made 12 failed attempts to execute their plan, either missing the convoy or encountering too many civilian bystanders. On August 22, 1962, they exploited de Gaulle’s predictable travel routine from his villa to the Saint-Dizier air base, successfully intercepting his vehicle near Petit-Clamart and opening fire with automatic weapons.
Presidential Survival Demonstrated Government Resolve
De Gaulle and his entire entourage miraculously escaped injury despite the hail of bullets that struck their vehicle, demonstrating either extraordinary luck or divine intervention depending on one’s perspective. The attack represented the 18th of 31 total assassination attempts de Gaulle would survive during his lifetime. This narrow escape strengthened de Gaulle’s resolve to implement his Algerian independence policy and demonstrated that violent military opposition could not override legitimate civilian presidential authority in a constitutional republic.
Military courts brought Bastien-Thiry to trial where he attempted to justify the assassination plot by labeling de Gaulle a tyrant deserving of removal. Prosecutors highlighted aggravating factors including endangering Madame de Gaulle, risking civilian casualties, recruiting foreign conspirators, and Bastien-Thiry’s cowardice in directing the attack from a safe distance while subordinates exposed themselves to danger. The court rejected his justifications and sentenced him to death, sending a clear message that military officers cannot usurp constitutional authority through violence regardless of policy disagreements.
Execution Marked End of Military Firing Squads
On March 11, 1963, Jean Bastien-Thiry faced a firing squad at Fort D’Ivry in Paris, becoming the last person executed by this method in French history. The government deployed 2,000 policemen along the route from Fresnes Prison to the execution site, fearing potential riots or rescue attempts from sympathizers. The execution symbolized the definitive victory of civilian constitutional authority over military rebellion, establishing that France’s military could not override presidential decisions through assassination or coup attempts regardless of ideological disagreements.
Lessons for Constitutional Government
The Petit-Clamart attack illustrates the dangers of military officers placing institutional interests above constitutional order and civilian control. De Gaulle’s commitment to ending French colonial empire conflicted with military hardliners who viewed maintaining empire as essential to French greatness and their own institutional power. This fundamental disagreement over France’s post-World War II role created conditions where military officers felt justified in attempting to murder their commander-in-chief. The incident reinforces why constitutional republics must maintain strict civilian control over military forces and why military personnel must respect legitimate political authority even when disagreeing with policy decisions.
Sources:
Petit-Clamart attack – Wikipedia
Jean Bastien-Thiry – Wikipedia
De Gaulle Assassination – HistoryNet
JFK and De Gaulle: The True Story – The David Talbot Show