Word: germane
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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Within this entity, the leadership--economic and, in time, political--can fall only to France or Germany. Here enters the German problem for France. The French can manage Western Germany, for the common fear of Germany would cast the smaller powers on France's side in a contest for primacy. And, through a European block, Germany would have a large market for her goods and the ability to make her weight felt in the world. Thus, a marriage de convenance could be effected between Paris and Bonn...
...Germany is reunited, each side will insist on neutrality and nonalignment with any block, including a new Western block under the French. Further, a reunited Germany would be too strong for France, who, along with other nations, would not accept German domination...
Without publicly admitting his plan, de Gaulle is thus led to oppose reunification of Germany--a stand unpopular with German public opinion, but necessary to his design. At present, time is working for the French. Their industry is expanding rapidly; their birth rate is the highest in Europe; and the end of the Algerian war will strengthen their power on the Continent...
...atom bomb is, of course, based partly on considerations of prestige and of grandeur, but perhaps we can discern more mundane military reasoning involved. Once the French have put their name on the label, I surmise that de Gaulle will quietly "Europeanize" the bomb project, and bring in German technicians. The object of these efforts would be to increase the Continent's nuclear power to the point where it could annihilate the U.S.S.R. Then the block would have won its freedom both from fear of Russia, and from dependence on the United States for protection. In a race of intelligence...
Kriegsspiel, Anyone? Monotonous languor seems almost the key to an uncanny series of decisions and events that shackled German strength on Dday. Half a dozen or more top German officers besides Rommel were absent from their coastal commands. Some of these, ironically enough, were taking part in a Kriegsspiel, a war game simulating an enemy landing in Normandy. On the very eve of Dday, the Seventh Army, guarding Normandy, was taken off alert because the weather was bad and all previous Allied landings had taken place in fair weather. The 124 planes of the 26th fighter wing stationed near...