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During the Algerian War, a segment of the French army considered itself to be revolutionary. By studying Arzew’s Instruction Centre for Pacification and Counterinsurgency ( CIPCG, Centre d’instruction pacification et contre-guérilla), we will show that this revolutionary temptation must be understood as an attempt to radically transform Algerian society in order to go beyond an untenable colonial status quo. Initially focusing on classical tactical instruction, starting in October 1957 the CIPCG began to promote this revolutionary conception of pacification to hundreds of officers. Despite the Gaullist government’s success in taking back control of the army, the CIPCG continued to spread this teaching (albeit devoid of its most radical aspects) until July 1961.