De Gaulle's Stratagem Of Balance Of Power For Europe

From the 17th to 19th century, France was a great power in Europe . It was obvious that France was weak in the World WarⅡ, so when in the face of strong Germany, it had to ally itself with others like England. However, England and France had been deeply beaten in World WarⅠuntil America joined the Triple Entente allies. In the 1930s, France had no ability to safeguard the nation when Hitler reforming German arms. For the policy of appeasement, German armies not only conquered the Eastern Europe, but also occupied France in 1940. The national confidence of France was frustrated by legal surrender economic crisis and the continuous defeats. Eventually, from a great power, France came down to a Second Class state, whose fortune was in the grasp of America.De Gaulle was born in the late 19th century. Coming through World WarⅠandⅡ, he had a direct feeling towards the decadency of international position and the losing of national confidence .Perhaps it was just the keenly felt pain transit to De Gaulle's fiery sensibility. Cast back to the history, when France was in the leadership of De Richelieu, it remained the resplendence–the most powerful state in Europe for several centuries. Compared to the resplendence, the concept of raison d'tat was also deeply embedded in De Gaulle's memory. Although Europe had to conduct under the idea of collective security advocated by America after the World War, geopolitics had been dominating Europe especially France for 3oo years. De Gaulle's idea of nationalism and balance of power didn't disappear, on the contrary became stable. In De Gaulle's opinion, keeping the balance of power was the most optimal condition of Europe. The experience was gained through the history of Europe, which was De Gaulle's basic start to deal with international relations. Even if the world has become bipolarity in which USA and USSA contend for hegemony, he believed that, the structure was not stable, it was a dangerous balance. As a result, to avoid European warfare, firstly was to realize the balance of power in Europe, none but which can make peace in Europe, even all over the world. In this balanced Europe, France should be the leader, in control of other states.De Gaulle's aim of European balance of power was constitutes by three arrangements: firstly, establishing the western Europe alliance in the leadership of France, no other than this conception could the power of France stick out in the condition of USA and USSR confrontation. Secondly, advancing cooperation between the France-oriented Western Europe Group and USSA-oriented Eastern Europe Group. Thirdly, The solidarity and cooperation in the spheres of the Transatlantic Alliance. France requested its independence, but would not break away from the NATO. France needed the cooperation in NATO to restrict the expansion in Europe of USSR. If the three arrangements could be realized, well then France would hold the balance in international political condition, thus it could become a great power–a third power beyond USA and USSR.In the area of Western Europe, De Gaulle intended to found a France and German -oriented Western Europe Union, which was in the leadership of France. As to stratagem, it referred to three sides: firstly, bound France and German together, in this way not only German could be supervised, but also France could improve its own strategic function.(after getting the hold of German to France ,other states were difficult to reject French policy.) the leadership of France could be established in the Western Europe Union. Secondly, France could rely on the force of WEU, consult with USSR to solve the Europe issue. Thirdly, holding WEU together around France is better for it to drive the American hegemony out of Europe. The cooperation between France and USSR to found Great Europe on the one hand is to entreat Germany, in case of its reconstructing, even to become the hidden trouble of Europe and the World. On the other hand, their cooperation is for containing American hegemony in Europe. Russia has long been an absolutely necessary power to maintain the European balance of power. Well, USSR has become a great power after the World War, keeping its eye covetously in Europe. Affront with the threat of USSR, the alliance between France and USA played an important part. De Gaulle claimed that France and Europe should be independent from America, whereas, France has never planed to dissever Transatlantic Alliance, on the contrary, he wanted to boost up the alliance by enhancing France national power continuously, and adjusting the relationship between France and NATO. France needed America, but they had essential conflict: France hoped to take the same decision-making rights in alliance as America, but based on the global interests, America refused to impart France the leading status. De Gaulle considered that France owned the self-governed nucleus power is the necessary condition of remaining European balance of power. Well America considered that in the world balance of nucleus, USA and USSR had come to the balance condition , France should bring its nucleus power to the command of NATO.On account of the different starts and study dimensions, the academe holds different views to De Gaulle. The author think that De Gaulle is a practical politician, his foreign policy was established by deep consideration of history, realism and international conditions in Europe and France . His special point was not his policy itself, but was his balky personality. Of course, De Gaulle's European balance of power strategy was not successful, there were a great many reasons, among which the decadency of France is most worthwhile to mention. In the World system dominated by USA and USSR, France could not provide safeguard for Europe, could not obtain the support from western Europe states , as a result , France–a single state-could not influence the world decision-making all by its own power.