Assassination Attempt on French President de Gaulle: OAS, Algerian Independence, and Political Tensions

French President Charles de Gaulle and his wife narrowly escaped an assassination attempt by the Organisation armée secrète (OAS) in the Paris suburb of Petit-Clamart. The OAS, a paramilitary group vehemently opposed to de Gaulle's policies in Algeria, orchestrated the attack. As de Gaulle's black Citroën DS car made its way through Petit-Clamart, it was ambushed. The attackers fired 140 bullets; however, de Gaulle and his wife emerged unscathed. The vehicle's reinforced armor and the driver’s swift maneuvering played a pivotal role in their survival. The assassination attempt emphasized the deep divisions within France over Algerian independence, with segments of the population and armed forces opposed to de Gaulle's decision to grant independence to Algeria after years of brutal colonial conflict and warfare. This attack was one of several perpetuated by OAS, who sought to maintain French Algeria at all costs and targeted prominent political figures supporting decolonization efforts. Following the bot