But the greatest bonus for the F.L.N. cause, both in terms immediately of arms supplies and later of troop movements, came with France’s granting of independence to Morocco and Tunisia in March 1956, the paths to which had been pioneered by Mendès-France. From then on the F.L.N. had friendly and open frontiers to east and west, of which the Tunisian in particular was to provide benefits of inestimable value.

Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Alge…, loc. 404