French Naval History
The history of the French navy truly begins in the middle of the Middle Ages. In 1203, king Philippe Auguste obtains the attachment of Normandy to the kingdom: for the first time, France has a maritime border. Nevertheless, in spite of the creation of a first arsenal in Rouen, the Field of Galées, the country does not have a permanent navy yet. This characteristic will mark the first five centuries of the history of the French navy.
It is only at the XVIIe century that the Navy is institutionalized thanks to the action of the cardinal Richelieu, Prime Minister of Louis XIII, then of Colbert. In 1669, Louis XIV makes the first secretary of State with the Navy. It is responsible for the navy of war, but also for the companies of the Indies and the countries of their concession, of the trade “of the inside and the outside”, as well as consular network. Until shortly after the First World War, the government department of the Navy will not limit itself to the fleet of war. It plays a decisive part in the expansion of the first French colonial empire and the rise of the transoceanic trade.
At the end of the XVII century, France is well the first naval power of its time, thanks to its chiefs of squadron (Duquesne, Tourville) like its corsairs (Jean Bart, Duguay-Trouin). But, exhausted by the defense of its land borders, the kingdom does not have any more means of its maritime ambitions at the end of the reign of Louis XIV, whereas the British power continues on the seas. In spite of a baited fight, the loss of the first French colonial empire, in 1763, devotes this inversion.
The French revival intervenes only in second half of the XVIIIe century, on the scientific level (Bougainville, Perugia) as soldier (Suffren, Of Fatty). The Navy can then play a determining role in the victorious outcome of the war of American independence (victory at the Chesapeake).
During the Revolution and the Empire, the fleet undergoes the by-effect of the massive emigration of the officers and the priority granted to the continental theater. In spite of glorious episodes (engagements of Meadow) and remarkable characters (Surcouf, Latouche-Tréville), the French Navy cannot compete any more with Royal Navy (disasters of Aboukir and Trafalgar). After 1815, the bringing together starts with this (joint victory with Navarin) to emerge at the time of the Crimean War, in spite of periods of tension, whose last will be the crisis of Fachoda (1898).
The second half of the XIXe century is marked by the development of steam propulsion, in which France is a pionneer. More generally, the Second Empire constitutes a true apogee for the Navy, on the technical plan and operational. It becomes in particular a central actor of the constitution of the new colonial empire, a role which it preserves under the Third Republic. Ransom of this successful expansion, the Colonies leave the ministry for the Navy at the end of the century and the essence of its terrestrial forces is attached to the ministry for War under the name of “colonial troops”. The Navy remains nevertheless an essential tool of the foreign politics, its role in the conclusion testifies some to Franco-Russian alliance or the Entente.
Vis-a-vis the rise of the Italian and German threats, the fleet preserves an strategic importance in spite of its technical insufficiencies. Throughout all two world wars, the French sailors are engaged on ground (marine fusiliers and gunners) as on sea and, from now on, in the airs. Thus, in 1914-1918, the young Naval Aviation appears in the fight against the new and frightening threat which the submarines make weigh. More generally, Navy of very whole surface east implied to escort the convoys which supply the metropolis. The French Navy works in close coordination with the Royal Navy, which it supports at the time of the unhappy attempt at forcing of the strait of Dardanelles.
The co-operation with the British is also intense at the beginning of the Second world war, in particular to support the forwarding of Norway or to make a success of the evacuation of Dunkirk. With the defeat comes time from the fratricidal confrontations (Seas to el-Kébir, Dakar), which also oppose the French sailors between them. As the remainder of the country, they from now on are divided between the minority, which followed the de Gaulle general, and the majority, remained faithful to marshal Pétain and admiral Darlan. The unit is found only starting from the end 1942 when, at the conclusion of the unloading combined in North Africa, of the invasion of the free zone and the scuttling of large of the fleet in Toulon, the forces of Vichy rejoin the camp of the Allies gradually. Thanks to their assistance, the whole Navy receives the means of taking combat whose free French Naval forces assume continuity. If it contributes only one share symbolic system at the time of the unloading of Normandy, the Navy is present at the time of that of Provence.
At the conclusion of the conflict, all is to be rebuilt, the fleet like its bases. This effort will be concluded by combining a vigorous effort of national rearmament and a massive allied help within the framework of the NATO, whereas the Navy is in addition heavily committed in the colonial conflicts. After the reconstitution of a conventional fleet, from now on organized around the air and sea component, the priority is with the nuclear power, as well with regard to the systems of weapon as of propulsion. Starting from the beginning of the year seventy, the Navy takes part in a decisive way in the French nuclear deterrence via its nuclear submarines launchers of machines. A little later opens for the Navy the era of external operations or “OPEX” marked by the use of the Naval Aviation and the projection of force.
The end of the Cold war, then after September 11, 2001, will lead to a big raise of the missions of the Navy on the matter whereas, in parallel, its buildings work with the protection of the freedom of the seas, a crucial issue a a time of globalization.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
