Their commander in the film, Colonel Mathieu (based on General Jacques Massu), explained the logic of the situation from the French point of view. The way to crack the insurgency was not to antagonize the people with oppressive, but “useless” measures; it was to take out the FLN’s command structure.
1957年，法国派遣了伞兵部队。影片中的指挥官马蒂厄上校（Mathieu，原型是马苏（Jacques Massu）将军）解释了法国看待当时情况的逻辑。打击起义军并不是要用“无用”的镇压手段站在人民的对立面；而是击溃FLN的指挥结构，让他们成为失去首脑的群氓。