French Military Policy in the Nigerian Civil War, 1967-1970
Résumé
During the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970), France chose to support Biafra,
but only on a limited scale, providing mercenaries and obsolete weaponry
to Ojukwu’s regime. General Charles de Gaulle’s assistance to Ojukwu was
conditioned by the French military drawdown after 1961, the increased
power of French secret services on the continent, and the interventions
in Katanga (1960–1963), Gabon (1964) and Chad (1968–1972). France
supported Biafra primarily to protect its former colonies from Nigeria, stop
Soviet subversion and acquire an economic foothold in the oil-rich Niger
Delta. De Gaulle chose a limited strategy for two reasons. If Biafra won the
war, France would be Biafra’s greatest ally. If Nigeria won the war, France
could extricate itself from the situation relatively easily and re-establish
relations with the Nigerian government, which is what ultimately occurred.