A History of the World From the 20th to the 21st Century by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub

the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, but the

followed past traditions in maintaining the

spectre of Germany was what most concerned

‘French thesis’ that even after the East–West divi-the French. Would Germany be built up militar-

sion of Germany, West Germany would need to

ily by the Americans and also become a member

be curbed further and permanently. In the wider

of NATO, eventually overshadowing France?

European context he saw the continued need for

Despite Schuman’s robust rejection of such a pos-

an Eastern link with Russia. In the treatment of

sibility ‘even in the future’, and his insistence that occupied Germany the French stubbornly resisted

Germany would remain disarmed, others saw the

the Anglo-American efforts to bring the Western

writing on the wall. The debates in the National

occupation zones together and to centralise

Assembly show how far France was from recon-

their administration. What is more, the French

ciliation with Germany.

demanded the economic detachment of the Ruhr

There was also another current at work, the

and the Saar from West Germany, and some form

call for a federation of Europe – a cause strongly of internationalisation of the industrial Ruhr. The espoused by Winston Churchill. The ideal of a

Cold War, and the resulting American and British

united Europe was appealing, especially to a

military presence on the continent of Europe,

younger generation seeking an escape from the

shattered de Gaulle’s vision, shared for a time by recent past. The high point of the European

many French ministers after his withdrawal in

movement was reached at The Hague Congress

1946, that France could be the dominant conti-

in May 1948, but practical results were few.

nental West European state, acting as arbiter

In May 1949 ten West European governments

between East and West. Instead, the French risked agreed to set up the Council of Europe, the

total isolation. They therefore went along with

purpose of which was to achieve a greater unity

Anglo-American plans put forward at the London

between its members. There was to be no pooling

Conference in 1948 on the future of Germany. A

of sovereignty, however. The Council’s work was

West German state would be created with a fed-

largely confined in the 1950s to cultural spheres.

THE FRENCH FOURTH REPUBLIC

519

1

The signature of a Convention of Human Rights

strong, rather than the 1,000–2,000 they had

in 1950 was nevertheless a notable and lasting

envisaged, and that West Germany would con-

achievement. The European movement had come

tribute half a million men.

to a dead end by then, as far as the political inte-The signature of the treaty was not enough to

gration of Western Europe was concerned.

secure its adoption. It had to be ratified by the Neither France nor Britain, nor any of the other

signatories’ national parliaments as well, includ-members, was ready for a real United States of

ing the French National Assembly. No issue since

Europe. But the public support generated for the

the Dreyfus case divided France more deeply than

idea of Europe played a part in preparing the way the EDC and its consequential endorsement of

for the more hard-headed approach of piecemeal

German rearmament. Successive French govern-

economic integration followed in the 1950s.

ments, uncertain of ratification, procrastinated

For France the fundamental problem of the

until in August 1954 the National Assembly,

overwhelming strength of Germany, even a

when the treaty was finally submitted, rejected it.

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