wretched-of-the-earth-frantz-fanon

84THE WRETCHED OF THE EARTHGRANDEUR AND WEAKNESS OF SPONTANEITY85punished. On their continuing road to self-discovery the peoplelegislate and claim their sovereignty. Every component rousedfrom its colonial slumber lives at boiling point. The villages witnessa permanent display of spectacular generosity and disarmingkindness, and an unquestioned determination to die for the"cause." All of this is reminiscent of a religious brotherhood, achurch, or a mystical doctrine. No part of the indigenous populationcan remain indifferent to this new rhythm which drivesthe nation. Emissaries are dispatched to the neighboring tribes.They represent the insurrection's first liaison system and introducethe rhythm and movement of the revolution to the regionsstill mired in immobility. Tribes well-known for their stubbomrivalry disarm amid rejoicing and tears, and pledge their helpand support. In this atmosphere ofbrotherly solidarity and armedstruggle, men link arms with their former enemies. The nationalcircle widens and every new ambush signals the entry of newtribes. Every village becomes a free agent and a relay point. Solidarityamong tribes, among villages and at the national level isfirst discernible in the growing number of blows dealt to theenemy. Every new group, every new volley of cannon fire signalsthat everybody is hunting the enemy, everybody is taking astand.This solidarity grows much stronger during the second periodwhen the enemy offensive is launched. Once the uprising hasbegun the colonial forces regroup, reorganize and adapt theirfighting tactics to the type of insurrection. This offensive throwsthe euphoria and idyll ofthe first phase into question. The enemylaunches an attack and concentrates large numbers of troops atprecise locations. Local groups are swiftly overwhelmed, and allthe more so because they first tend to tackle the fighting headon. The optimism of the initial phase had made them intrepid,even rash. The group, who was persuaded their own mountainpeak was the nation, refuses to pull back, and to beat a retreat isout of the question. Losses are considerable and the survivors arewracked by doubt. The local community endures the attack as acrucial test. It behaves literally as if the fate of the country wereat stake at that very place and at that very moment.But it soon becomes clear that this impetuous spontaneity,which is intent on rapidly settling its score with the colonial system,is destined to fail as a doctrine. A deeply pragmatic realismreplaces yesterday's jubilation and the illusion of eternity. Thelesson ofhard facts and the bodies mowed down by machine gunsresult in a radical rethinking of events. The basic instinct ofsurvivalcalls for a more flexible, more agile response. This adjustmentin fighting technique was typical of the first months of thewar of liberation by the Angolan people. On March 15, 1961,we recall, the Angolan peasants in groups of two or three thousandattacked the Portuguese positions. Men, women, anddren, armed and unarmed, courageously and enthusiasticallyhurled themselves en masse in wave after wave against the regionsdominated by the colonists, the military, and the Portugueseflag. Villages and airports were surrounded and sufferednumerous attacks, but thousands ofAngolans were mowed downby colonialist machine gun fire. The leaders of the Angolanuprising soon realized that they would have to adopt differenttactics if they really wanted to liberate their country. The Angolanleader, Roberto Holden, therefore, has recently reorganized theAngolan National Army using the model of other liberation warsand guerrilla warfare techniques.In guerrilla warfare, in fact, you no longer fight on the spotbut on the march. Every fighter carries the soil of the homelandto war between his bare toes. The national liberation army is notan army grappling with the enemy in a single, decisive battle,but travels from village to village, retreating into the forest andjumping for joy when the cloud of dust raised by the enemy'stroops is seen in the valley. The tribes begin to mobilize, the unitsmove their positions, changing terrain. The people from thenorth march toward the west, those on the plains struggle up tothe mountains. No strategic position is given preference. The~Y" T''''''''''"0"-t2eo"--- ---------