Un-Civilizing America

Chapter 9The Deep State

For those who live inside a myth, it seems a self‐evident fact.

—John Gray¹

Charles de Gaulle knew how to rally the troops. In April 1961—almost 16 years after the last gun of World War II had blasted its last shell, and de Gaulle had hung his gold braid and epaulets in the closet—the French president put on his old uniform and went on national television. He told the people of France that their beloved Republic was in grave danger. A coup d'état was underway in French Algeria. He called on them to help him stop it.

“Help me!” he said. And they did. The coup was stopped. The leaders were arrested. The country went on with its business. A friend was involved personally in that coup attempt:

I really didn't know what I was doing. I just got caught up in right‐wing politics. I thought de Gaulle was ruining the country.

My job was to seize a small airport. I drove out in the night, with a small group. It was a small airport. We expected to take out our guns, wave them around, and announce that the airport was now under the control of the new government, which would be formed in the next few days, after de Gaulle resigned.

I wasn't even 20 years old. It was all very exciting. De Gaulle had agreed to give independence to Algeria. But Algeria was a part of France. We were protecting the nation.

And I was very lucky. We just sat in the car listening to the radio, waiting for the signal to take action. When we heard that [army units that were supposed to be ...