A Sword for Peace and Liberty Volume 1: Force de Frappe - The French Nuclear Strike Force and the First Cold War 1945-1990

A Sword for Peace and Liberty Volume 1 shows the solid continuity of French nuclear strategy through programs for strategic bombers, tactical aircraft, missiles, nuclear submarines, and space assets. The nation has made significant efforts in financial terms to support a project and vision shared between the left and the right wings of political circles. The French nuclear program is the result of a perception of the role that the nation wants to play in Europe and in the world and as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

The spirit of resistance is the engine that has driven this ambition. Never again should there be war over France, and no more military invasion. The trauma of the Werhmacht invasion of May 1940 has formed the vision of the leaders and made national sovereignty mandatory in the technological and military approach. However, this volume also highlights the cooperation launched secretly or openly with the UK and USA in these domains and the necessary diplomacy with Washington and London.

This fist volume is focused on the origins of the nuclear ambition just after the liberation of France, and the following build-up of the strategic triad, with the first generation of the weapons program: Mirage IV strategic bombers, Mirage III and Jaguar tactical aircraft, Pluton mobile short range missiles, Redoutable class nuclear submarines, and S2 and S3 ballistic missiles sheltered in the Alps of the Provence region. In addition, the canceled projects of the Super Mirage IV, very long range missiles, giant aircraft carriers, and Mirage 4000, are detailed, along with the successful second generation of systems launched during the later Cold War: Mirage 2000, ASMP missile, a new generation of submarines.