18. The French Invasion of Algeria (1830)
In 1830, France initiated its colonial conquest of Algeria, beginning with the capture of Algiers. This marked the start of a prolonged occupation that lasted until 1962, profoundly impacting both nations. The French employed military force to establish control, leading to significant loss of life and cultural upheaval among the indigenous Algerian population. This invasion paralleled other major European colonial endeavors, such as the British colonization of India, in its scale and enduring consequences (via historytoday.com).
