Books > History > European history
|
Buy Now
Three Republics One Navy - A Naval History of France 1870-1999 (Hardcover)
Loot Price: R737
Discovery Miles 7 370
You Save: R181
(20%)
|
|
Three Republics One Navy - A Naval History of France 1870-1999 (Hardcover)
Expected to ship within 9 - 15 working days
|
In the 1870s, to supplement their early steam engines, French
warships were still rigged for sail. In the 1970s the Marine
Nationale's ships at sea included aircraft carriers operating
supersonic jets, and intercontinental ballistic missile submarines
propelled by nuclear engines. Within this one hundred years, the
Marine has played important roles in the acquisition of Asian and
African colonial empires; until 1900 the lead role in a naval 'Cold
War' against Great Britain; in 1904-1920 preparation, largely
Mediterranean-based for, and participation in a Paris agenda in the
First World War; a spectacular modernisation unfortunately
incomplete in the inter-war years; division, tragic
self-destruction and a rebirth in the Second World War; important
roles in the two major decolonisation campaigns of Indochina and
Algeria; and finally in the retention of major world power status
with power-projection roles in the late 20th century, requiring a
navy with both nuclear age and traditional amphibious operational
capabilities. The enormous costs involved were to lead to
reductions and a new naval relationship with Great Britain at the
end of the 20th Century. These successive radical changes were set
against political dispute, turmoil and in the years 1940 to 1942,
violent division. Political leaders from the 19th Century
imperialists to the Fifth Republic sought a lead role for France or
if not, sufficient naval power to effectively influence allies and
world affairs. Domestic economic difficulties more than once led to
unwise`navy on the cheap' policies and construction programmes. The
major post-1789 rift in French society appears occasionally among
crews on board ships, in docks and builders yards, and in 1919-1920
open munities in ships at sea. In this work the author has tried to
weave together these very varied strands into a history of a navy
whose nation's priorities have more often been land frontier
defence, the navy undervalued with a justifiable pride in its
achievements poorly recognised. A study of the history of the
Marine is also useful and important contribution to wider studies
of French national history over thirteen tumultuous decades.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
|
|
Email address subscribed successfully.
A activation email has been sent to you.
Please click the link in that email to activate your subscription.