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The article focuses on the military and political decisions of French President Charles de Gaulle, whose actions provoked Tunisian President Habib Bourguiba into siding with the Soviet Union. It states that many Europeans, especially the French, were afraid of a renewed war in Tunisia and of the failed negotiation between de Gaulle and Bourguiba. It adds that the incident in Bizerte, Tunisia was a deliberate attempt to ruin any peace talks between Algeria and France.

The article discusses the war between Tunisia and France, after the latter planned to expand the Bizerte naval airbase. It looks into the consequences of attacks by Tunisian troops organized by their President Habib Bourguiba as well as the retaliation of the French troops. It cites the demand of Bourguiba of an emergency session of the United Nations (UN) Security Council. It further mentions the Security Council's call for withdrawal of French troops from Tunisia.

The article presents the report of "Time" correspondent Edward Behr on the scene where the French and Tunisian troops were burying the dead during the observed ceasefire. It notes that the bulk of death toll came in two waves such as when French paratroopers rained grenades and mortar shells on the houses of the casbah and when French planes blasted Bizerte for hours. Moreover, a realization from Tunisia President Habib Bourguiba comes with the Bizerte tragedy.

The article provides a discussion on the battle in Bizerte, Tunisia. It notes that Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold who is seated in a Lincoln sedan drove through the battle wreckage. It mentions that when Hammarskjold tried to see the French commander in Bizerte Admiral Maurice Amman, he was told that no interview was possible. However, he sent a message to Charles de Gaulle for a proposed private meeting in Paris, France but the Quai d'Orsay spokesman replied with calculated insolence.