France’s Nuclear Embrace of Germany

“In these times of uncertainty, and I say this before the nation with determination, as president of the republic, I will never hesitate to make decisions that are essential to protect our vital interests. If we had to use our arsenal, no state, however powerful, could shield itself from it; and no state, however vast, could recover.”

Thus spoke French President Emmanuel Macron on March 2 at Île Longue Strategic Submarine Base, standing in front of one of the French Navy’s four massive nuclear ballistic missile submarines.

“Just one of our submarines, like the one behind me, carries firepower equivalent to the sum of all bombs that fell on Europe during the Second World War,” he said. “That’s close to a thousand times the power of the first nuclear bombs.”

Macron’s words resonated against the backdrop of Russia’s large-scale war on the Continent and the war with Iran.

Conflicts are at an increased risk to “cross the nuclear threshold,” Macron said, adding that nations should fear suffering “damage that they could not recover from.”

This has been the reality for some time. France is estimated to have roughly 300 nuclear warheads, most of which are for submarine launch and about 50 of which can be delivered by its land- and aircraft carrier-based warplanes. However, in his speech, Macron announced plans to expand France’s nuclear arsenal for the first time since the Cold War and to share its nuclear weapons with other European nations.

France is currently in talks to extend its nuclear deterrent to Germany, Poland, Greece, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Sweden.

This year, Germany will contribute conventional forces to French nuclear exercises and establish a high-level steering group for nuclear weapons cooperation.

Details are deliberately vague, and France will no longer publish the size of its nuclear arsenal in the future.

France is not part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s nuclear planning group, and this new nuclear push and proliferation is completely independent of the United States.

Handelsblatt wrote on February 2, “In the future, Germany could participate in French nuclear maneuvers and provide fighter jets or even submarines equipped with French nuclear missiles.” Later that month, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the German Air Force could potentially carry French nuclear bombs, which Macron has so far ruled out.

France needs German conventional military strength to remain militarily competitive. Yet many in France also fear Germany. As Luigi Barzini wrote in The Europeans, France seeks to hold Germany in an embrace “as close as a stranglehold.”

Macron has tried to calm nerves by asserting that France’s president will remain in full control of its nuclear weapons. But Germany’s military budget is set to soon double that of France, so France’s “stranglehold” on Germany may soon break.

“France under Macron is wholeheartedly supporting a European military with nuclear weapons. But little does France know to what end Germany plans to use this power!” Gerald Flurry warned (“France’s Deadly Ignorance About Germany”).

Revelation 17 prophesies that 10 European governments will submit their power to Germany. “These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast” (verse 13). This could include France’s nuclear weapons.

“There will come a point when Germany goes into full attack mode against America and Britain,” wrote Mr. Flurry. “Many prophecies reveal this. At that point, France will think, What have we gotten ourselves into? But then it will be too late!” (ibid).

Macron’s trust in Germany is a shocking reversal from history. After Macron concluded his speech, the audience sang the French national anthem. Its bloody words resonated off the concrete walls and the nuclear submarine that has the power to kill millions:

Let’s go children of the fatherland,
Our day of glory has arrived!
Against us tyranny’s bloody flag is raised!
The bloody flag is raised!
In the countryside, do you hear
The roaring of these fierce soldiers?
They come right into our arms
To slit the throats of our sons, our friends!

Composed in 1792 when France faced the invading forces of Austria and Prussia, “La Marseillaise” came to have added meaning during the fight against the Nazis in World War ii. Yet today, France joins hands with Germany, binding their lives and blood together.