His first notable achievement was to draft a new proclamation, dated 1 April 1955, by way of a riposte to France's declaring a state of emergency in Algeria. Compared with the wordy initial statement of the previous November, it was a masterpiece of skilful propaganda, audacious optimism and conciseness. Beginning with an assurance to the Algerians that, over the first five months of activity, "in almost all encounters, our groups composed of ten to twenty men have defeated French army units and inflicted serious losses", it went on to cite, with some exaggeration, various specific military "triumphs". The proclamation ended with a clear menace to such "deviationist" bodies as the Algerian Communist Party and Messali's M.N.A.: "The tribunal of the A.L.N. [Armée de Libération Nationale, as the military arm of the F.L.N. had now become known] will be pitiless towards traitors and enemies of the country…." On reading it for the first time, Soustelle's chief political adviser, Colonel Eydoux, was heard to remark: "Something has changed in the management of the rebellion."

Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Alge…, loc. 413