French Foreign Policy since 1945: An Introduction

When Charles de Gaulle declared that “it is because we are no longer a great power that we need a grand policy,” he neatly summarized France’s predicament on the world scene. In this compact and engaging history, author Frédéric Bozo deftly recounts France’s efforts to reconcile its proud history and global ambitions with a realistic appraisal of its capabilities, from the aftermath of World War II to the present. He provides insightful analysis of the nation’s triumphs and setbacks through the years of decolonization, Cold War maneuvering, and European unification, as well as the more contemporary challenges posed by an increasingly multipolar and interconnected world.

Frédéric Bozo is Professor of History and International Relations in the Department of European Studies at the Sorbonne Nouvelle (University of Paris III). His publications include Visions of the End of the Cold War in Europe, 1945-1990 (2012) and Mitterrand, the End of the Cold War, and German Unification (2009), both with Berghahn Books.