Contenu du sommaire : Centenaire de la Grande Guerre

It is opportune to look again at how Foch commanded in 1918, and to note his modernity and intelligence. He went against Pétain's opinion on the subject of command, and despite an amount of hostility from Clémenceau he was able to organise an efficient and reactive staff headquarters. Foch was thus a trailblazer with a clear idea of how to work with the allies.

In 1914, the cavalry was aware of its tactical ineffectiveness and needed to develop rapidly to adapt to a fast-changing battlefield. Some in the cavalry chose the new field of aviation whilst others participated in the development of tanks, among which the innovative FT-17 was truly revolutionary.

Aviation had a growing role throughout the conflict. Quite apart from the now classical image of the flying aces, aviators' decisive contribution was in the collection of intelligence. This allowed the command to understand better the enemy's offensives through reconnaissance missions—including those deep over enemy territory.

The arrival of air power transformed the conduct of operations during the Great War. With great pragmatism the French command combined technical progress with effective tactical use of aviation. Appropriate doctrine was established over time with the support of the high command, which had recognised the potential of this new weapon system.

The gendarmerie played a little-known role during the Great War, yet took on missions immediately on mobilisation, later ensuring the security of zones behind the lines as well. On the other hand, its essential military policing function to maintain discipline in the forces did little for its image, which obliged the gendarmerie to draw lessons after the war from its experiences.

Though largely unknown, the code war played a decisive role in allowing the French military command to decrypt German transmissions and therefore to be in a position to react rapidly.  The concurrent development of wireless telegraphy and encryption was a foretaste of today's cyber-warfare.

Though Sweden declared itself neutral during the Great War it had to use its navy to affirm its neutrality in a region affected by the confrontation between Russia and Germany. The Swedish fleet was thus able to protect its sea routes and maintain freedom of navigation.

Intellectuals, artists and writers took their full part in the Great War, on the ground as soldiers and as reporters. They used their varied talents to describe the trauma they lived through: the common destiny of an entire generation that transcended political opinion.

The French film, La Grande Illusion, is more than a film about French prisoners of war who try to escape from an Oflag: the film has become an epic in which history confronts fiction in an intensely absorbing scenario, and which has been widely appreciated since it was made in 1937. La Grande Illusion is very much symbolic of Europe at the time.

The written history of the Great War is impressive, with more than fifteen thousand publications in France alone over the past century. And it has not stopped there—new approaches and new fields of investigation continue to attract historians, particularly since the centenary has fostered renewed interest with some highly pertinent works.

The centenary has led to a completely new look at the published history of the Great War, with some unprecedented approaches that call into question a number of hitherto accepted facts. From this, it would seem that in 1918 the French army was the most modern and effective, whereas the German army caved in at the end of the spring of that year, leading to an unavoidable defeat.

The participation of American airmen of the La Fayette squadron, and the heroism of its aces contributed to victory in 1918. They also shaped mentalities, particularly in the eastern part of France where military culture remains strong. That is an aspect worthy of emphasis in today's uncertain world.

In commemorating the Great War, it is politic to reflect on what might be called the duty to remember, and to think in different ways about the sacrifices made. This is even more important, a hundred years after the event, since the lessons of history are rapidly lost in the face of increasing violence and refusal to recognise that our forebears fought for dignity and freedom.

Océanides was an international research programme conducted from 2012 to 2017, which put into perspective the central importance of the sea in the development of human civilisations. Since time immemorial it has been across the oceans that commerce and empires have been created and destroyed. Still today, the ocean is at the very heart of tomorrow's challenges.

By virtue of its history, France is deeply committed to security activities in Africa. It has gained experience though numerous operations there, together with a precious savoir-faire which merits far better application in the context of current crises whose resolution goes well beyond the purely military element.

Vast Soviet forces were deployed in Afghanistan, with considerable use made of helicopters and aircraft. This won them notable tactical success, and the Soviets learned to adapt to the demanding conditions of that theatre, drawing lessons from engagements in the third dimension.

The use of armed drones has become commonplace for the United States, which uses them also for targeted assassinations of high-value human targets. Legal control of such strikes remains important given that the drone is merely a means, and not an end.