The Algerian War (1954-1962) saw the FLN fight French colonial rule, involving brutal tactics, torture, and civilian suffering on both sides. It led to Algeria's independence in 1962 after de Gaulle's negotiations, costing hundreds of thousands of lives and fracturing French society.

The Algerian War of Independence, starting in 1954, inspired a rich body of Francophone and Arabic poetry that emphasized themes of resistance and identity. Poets like Kateb Yacine and Assia Djebar articulated the struggles for liberation, shaping postcolonial African literature.