France's Force de Frappe

Question 1

3 reasons why France wanted its own program

Answer 1

re-establish prestige, nuclear states were gaining power, concern for a comprehensive test ban treaty

Question 2

Force de Frappe

Answer 2

Oct 1945: French nuclear program initiated by Pres Charles de Gaulle

Question 3

Pompidou’s Address

Answer 3

1964: PM Pompidou argued that F needs an NP for defense, UN and NATO had NWs, to contribute to E security, distrust of USA, and F safety from war

Question 4

French Main Testing Sites

Answer 4

Algeria (17 tests) and French Polynesia (Mururoa and Fangataufa Atolls, 193 tests), testing lasted from 1960-1995

Question 5

Algeria

Answer 5

F colony that was fighting for independence while F testing began in the Sahara Desert, testing stopped after int’l pressure and protests from neighbouring countries

Question 6

Gerboise Bleue

Answer 6

Feb 13, 1960: 1st nuclear test, Sahara Desert, 71 kilotons, mushroom cloud, extreme temps, sand was turned into black glass, 13 more tests followed

Question 7

Beryl Underground Test

Answer 7

May 1, 1962: Ekker site in Algeria, caused a fissure that released molten rock debris and black radioactive cloud, many were contaminated, radioactive waste was put in pits and covered with sand which didn’t stay contained so nearby communities collected it due to lack of warnings

Question 8

France and the LTBT

Answer 8

1963: didn’t sign the LTBT so continued atmospheric tests in the atolls, Kennedy tried to intervene and make them sign with little luck, 193 tests were conducted (46 atmospheric and 47 underground)

Question 9

Canopus Test

Answer 9

Aug 24, 1968: 1st and largest thermonuclear test, Fangataufa Atoll, 2.6 megatons, widespread contamination, accumulation of radioactivity in food supply

Question 10

Licorne Test

Answer 10

July 3, 1970: thermonuclear test, Mururoa Atoll, inhabitants of nearby atolls were exposed and contaminated

Question 11

Effects on Tahiti

Answer 11

Jul 17, 1974: an explosion in Mururoa resulted in a radioactive cloud that moved to Tahiti, population was unaware so they consumed contaminated supplied and contracted radiation-related illnesses

Question 12

Atmospheric and Underground Testing

Answer 12

continued atmospheric tests until 1974 and underground testing until 1995, an underground test on Jul 25, 1979 caused an underwater landslide, crater, and tsunami

Question 13

Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)

Answer 13

Sep 24, 1996: signed by nuclear powers as a result of int’l pressure, banned NWs and testing in all environments, F, USSR, and UK signed and ratified but USA and China have yet to ratify

Question 14

Morin Compensation Law

Answer 14

2010: Morin Law set up requirements for compensation, only a portion of Polynesian, Algerian, and French population was compensated