France and the Re-arming of West Germany (1950-1954)

Abstract

France and the arming of West Germany (1950-1954)

France has suffered since 1870 from the German threat, There is no doubt that one of the reasons for the First and Second World War was the German-French enmity, Even after the defeat of Germany and the Potsdam Conference in 1945, France was still apprehensive of the German threat.

Most French people strongly opposed the idea of arming West Germany, when Americans pressed for the arming of West Germany at the New York Conference in September 1950, French Foreign Minister Schuman rejected the American proposal and was at that time against any idea of arming West Germany, Schumann did not compromise on this issue, saying he refused to budge from France's categorical position of refusing to arm Germany.

At the meetings in New York, France refused to discuss even the principle of arming Germany, and the dispute over the matter was complete, Schumann, however, eventually backed down and agreed to establish a "small West German military force.

There were two opposite lines to deal with the issue of arming West Germany, although the American approach contradicted the French approach, However, these two approaches have in fact had a great deal in common. Both governments have accepted the principle of defense forward. The idea of defending Western Europe must be in the East, in West Germany facing the potential Soviet threat.

 If Western Germany would defend Western Europe, and would benefit from the security system derived from the application of this strategic concept, It is fair that it has made its country's contribution to this defensive effort, so the points on the agreement are now in place, and thus agreement has been reached on the principle of arming West Germany.

The approval of the French appears to have come from fear of the Soviet threat on the one hand, On the other hand, they could not prevent the Americans from achieving what they wanted, relying on a common view of French politics in the case of arming West Germany in the early 1950s.