In 1919, after the involvement of 172,019 Algerians in the First World War, the Jonnart Law eased access to French citizenship for those who met one of the criteria, such as working for the French army, a son in a war, knowing how to read and write in the French language, being owner, having a public function, being married or born from an indigène became French citizen. Half a million Algerians were exempted from the "indigénat" status, and this status became void in 1927 in the mixed towns but remained applicable in other towns until its abrogation in 1944.