French Policy Under De Gaulle

Report Outline
New Direction of French Foreign Policy
Insistence on Independence in Defense
Use of the Economic Power of France

New Direction of French Foreign Policy

Alliance and Independence, according to Hervé Alphand, French ambassador to the United States, are “the twin concepts which best describe France's policy today.” American officials probably would agree with only half of that appraisal. Recent events have left no doubt in Washington of France's determination to play an independent role in world affairs. At the same time, there is growing irritation over French President de Gaulle's unwillingness to help forge stronger links among the Atlantic allies.

De Gaulle's View of American-French Relations

Franco-American relations have worsened to the point where relatively minor disagreements provoke bitter quarreling. While “hardly surprised by the ups and downs of what it is customary [in the United States] to call opinion,” President de Gaulle feels that “recently the tone and the song, as regards France, have seemed rather excessive.” At his most recent news conference, July 29, de Gaulle conceded that the United States and France disagreed “on very important issues,” but he insisted that such differences “cannot alter in France what is fundamental as regards America.” In his opinion, “The fundamental factors of French-American relations are friendship and alliance,” which have existed “for close on 200 years as an outstanding psychological reality in keeping with the nature of the two countries.”

De Gaulle asserted that only “infinitely serious and infinitely long dissension” could rupture the friendship of the United States and its oldest ally. France, he said, does not “believe that the United States seeks to wrong it.” By the same token, “For the United States to imagine that France seeks to harm it would be a ridiculous absurdity.” He added: “Indeed, so long as the free world is faced with the Soviet bloc, which is capable of suddenly submerging this or that territory, and which is moved by a dominating and detestable ideology, it will be essential that the peoples on both sides of the ocean, if they wish to defend themselves, be linked together to do so.”