"This is the first study in English to chart France's relations with the rest of the world over the whole of the twentieth century. Those relations are characterized by remarkable degrees of continuity in terms of how France perceives herself, how she perceives others and how she believes the two should interact. In short, France's relations with the rest of the world are an example of a tremendous over-investment in grandeur. Yet throughout the twentieth century France showed remarkable resilience in maintaining her great power status in the face of repeated setbacks and defeats internally and externally. Despite her decline to a medium-sized power, like Britain she has continued to 'punch above her weight'." "This work not only analyses decision-making, strategic and defence issues, but also the work of the French intelligence agencies. It sets them against the 'deep forces' that have shaped France's international relations, from material aspects such as geography, demography and economics to more abstract features of France's national identity such as notions of the state, the civilizing mission and ideas of grandeur."--Jacket.