Bombs ‘offered’ to France

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32764, 15 November 1971, Page 20

Bombs ‘offered’ to France

'Reprinted from "Aviation Week and Space Technology.") PARIS.

An offer by the Eisenhower Administration to sell France four Mark 21 atomic bombs for use in a desperation attack to save the fortress at Dien Bien Phu during the closing days of the French Indo-China war is cited as the basic object lesson that prompted subsequent French Governments to push development of an independent nuclear deterrent force.

The United States Govern-! ment offered the atomic bombs to the French Prime; Minister (Mr Joseph Laneul); in the spring of 1954, as the; Communist Viet Minh forces; pushed the French army into; the untenable position at; Dien Bien Phu, according to; an informed source. Mr; Laneul is reported to have! accepted the offer with; reservations, passing the tactical decision to General; Henri-Eugene Navarre, com-! mander-in-chief of French; forces in Indo-China. The bombs were to have; been dropped from French; Douglas B-26 bombers. ; General Navarre strongly; recommended against using; the atomic weapons because; of the unknown side effects, they could have on French; troops in the battle area,; according to the source. The I United States offer was; refused, and Dien Bien Phu; fell, leading to the end of the | Indo-China War, in May,

1954. Atomic lobby Some French officials felt; strongly that use of the atomic weapons might have saved Dien Bien Phu and possibly changed the outcome of the Indo-China war, accord-i ing to the source. They also* felt that France should not have to depend on her allies; for such weapons in the future and began to press for the development of nuclear; weapons in France. The first steps toward this; goal were ordered by the* new Prime Minister, Mr; Pierre Mendes - France,; according to the source. Mr I Mendes-France, who had ■ been elected in 1954 when the Laneul government fell following the Indo-China; defeat, ordered the start of uranium and plutonium production for use in future! warheads. He also started; building facilities for applied research that would lead to development of delivery; systems. Mr Mendes-France’s deci-' sions were reinforced by the Prime Ministers who briefly; lead governing coalitions following the fall of his government in 1955, and development of elements needed for a nuclear weapon force continued. “Force de Frappe” When General De Gaulle returned to power, in 1958, the foundations for France’s nuclear "Force de Frappe" were well established, the

source saia. under oenerai De Gaulle’s leadership, development of the nuclear force was accelerated. A first-generation force of Dassault Mirage 4 bombers, armed with 60 kiloton I weapons, was developed and; became operational in 1964-; 65. Emphasis then shifted to; intermediate-range ballistic missiles, and development started on the SSBS landbased and MSBS sub-marine-launched systems. The first nine-missile unit of the SSBS system is operational, and the second is scheduled to reach operational status next year. The first nuclear submarine in the MSBS system will be operational next year. Development work now is on advanced versions of both systems.