During World War ii, Allied scientists raced against German physicists to be the first to develop an atomic bomb. The Allies succeeded, and Germany was defeated. Today, nuclear-armed France is offering to open its nuclear defense door to neighboring Germany.
In a meeting in Germany on September 10, French President Nicolas Sarkozy shocked German officials by offering them access to France’s nuclear defense system. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier declined the offer, with Steinmeier stating that Germany has no intention of becoming a nuclear power.
Still, with this offer, the door is wide open for Germany to begin acquiring nuclear weapons, a possibility that puts many history-conscious pundits ill at ease. The present German administration may not seem interested in accepting the keys to the bomb, but a future administration may be very interested.
As the world focuses on the Middle East, North Korea and the U.S. presidential race, the boiling cauldron in the heart of Europe is about to spill over onto the world for the third time in a century. To learn more about Germany’s history of war and its future, request a free copy of our booklet Germany and the Holy Roman Empire.