This meticulously researched, cogently argued, and clearly written study provides a nuanced account of French political and military interventions in Chad during the first two decades after independence (1960–1982). Chad was one of sixteen African nations in which France intervened from 1960 to 1991 to ensure the survival of client regimes or to install alternatives that protected French political, economic, and strategic interests.
In the case of Chad, Powell argues, French efforts backfired. Paris’ attempt to put down rebellions against authoritarian neocolonial regimes weakened rather than strengthened the Chadian state. Sparked by stark socioeconomic and political inequalities, the rebellions were fueled by the counterinsurgency methods of French and Chadian militaries, which resulted in mounting civilian death tolls and intensified hostility toward the ruling regimes. French negotiations for the release of French and German citizens, taken hostage by the rebels, enhanced Libyan leverage and opened the door to further intervention and...