Friday, June 1, 2012

THE GEOPOLITICS OF FRANCE:MAINTAINING ITS INFLUENCE IN A CHANGING EUROPE



By: George Friedman


Level of Difficulty: ****

Note to the Reader: This text is an 8 page summary / analysis of centuries of French history and as such, is an invaluable source of information and general culture.  

QUESTIONS

Read the first seven paragraphs

1.       It is astonishing that so many have tried to unite Europe throughout history. In fact, ………………………… make(s) such unity impossible.

2.       Which sentence best summarizes the information in paragraph 2?

3.       The unique geographical features of Northern and Southern Europe have led to a host of ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

4.       At the end of paragraph 4, the writer says “It is a recipe for wars of domination a simple fact born out in centuries of European history”. Which sentence in the same paragraph best qualifies this statement?

5.       Read until the end of paragraph 7 and state in your own words why France is “the only European power that can attempt to project power in any portion of the European theatre”.

6.       France’s failure in terms of complete European domination stems from ……………………………….

Read “The Geography of France”

7.       France’s most important strategic advantage could be a disadvantage as well since it could lead France …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

8.       In paragraph 13, the writer states that “The Beauce region is therefore the French core”.  Why is this so? The region is home to ……………………………………………………………………………And don’t copy out the whole paragraph; I want a short direct answer that says it all!

9.       The idea of moving the capital from Paris to Orleans was abandoned due to the desire to ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

10.   What does “this” refer to in the phrase “this gave France enormous strategic advantage over its continental rivals”?

Read “Phase One”

11.   The transformation of the traditional army of France was triggered by …………………………….The birth of this new fighting force in turn triggered ………………………………… as a political system.

12.   What does”this solution” in paragraph 18 refer to?

13.   The price France paid for stopping the Umayyad was …………………………………………………………

14.   It was not only the fractured structure of France at the time that encouraged foreign intervention. ………………………………… also played a part.

15.   What positive effect did the 100 years war ultimately have on the French political structure?

16.   In what fundamental way does France differ from other European countries according to the text?

Read “Phase Two”

17.   France’s support of Scottish separatists, its alliance with the Ottoman Empire and with Protestant German entities were all outcomes of France’s policy of ………………………………………

18.   What was the underlying reason why France “found itself unable to remake Europe in its own image”? Use your own words.

19.   What were the two grave consequences of the extended wars France fought in the 18th century?

Read “Phase Three”

20.   The emergence of republican France was due to the following two reasons: firstly, the French Revolution which gave birth to …………………………….. and secondly,  the now entrenched French tradition of ……………………………………………..

21.   What radical change took place in terms of foreign policy as a result of the above and why did it ultimately fail?

22.   What was France’s lasting legacy to the rest of the world?

23.   What does “It” refer to in the sentence “It didn’t work”?

24.   What made Germany a much more powerful nation state?

Read “Phase Four”



25.   The writer states: “From the French point of view, the difference between WWII’s beginning and end was stunning”. What were the two reasons for this state of affairs?

26.   In paragraph 42, the writer states that”It was a solid plan”. What was a solid plan? Refer back to paragraphs 40 and 41 and use your own words.

27.   The biggest problem that the collapse of the USSR created for France was …………………France dealt with this problem by ………………………………………

28.   How exactly did France entrap Germany?

29.    At the end of paragraph 46, the writer says “this time, France is in the cage with Germany”. What exactly does he mean? Explain in your own words.

Read “Geopolitical Imperatives”

30.   What could make it possible for France to “secure a large hinterland without too much trouble”?

31.   Why does France need to look east?

32.   What does “this strategy” in paragraph 53 refer to?

33.   France’s attitude to the loss of its colonies was very different from that of other colonial powers because ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

34.   Why does France specially need to make less than ideal alliances?

35.   On reading the last paragraph, what impression do you get of the writer’s view concerning France’s ability to meet the current challenges?



KEY AND TEACHER’S NOTES

I fell in love with this text for the simple reason that it covers twelve centuries of French history in eight pages in the form of a brilliantly thought out essay. You have all that history, faultless English and a brilliant essay all in one! Simply irresistible! I would cover it and check answers in sections. Don’t let the length scare you off; it will go swimmingly I guarantee. I am very very rarely wrongJ I have done texts of this length and longer in class before and provided the text is good and you are on board, it will fly.

1.       Geographic features

2.       The combination of a fertile, easily traversable coastal plain with seven major rivers guarantees both agricultural surplus and the ability to move them easily and cheaply.

3.       Differing political, social and economic cultures.

4.       The first Or Mix…..

5.       Possible answer: because the three places where the fragmentation of Europe doesn’t hold are all within the borders of France.

6.       Its size

7.       To ignore the threats ……………..

8.       Navigable rivers, warm climate, sufficient rainfall, good drainage and fertile soil.

9.       To benefit from oceanic trade routes but be far enough away to be insulated from a direct naval invasion.

10.   The previous sentence.

11.   The Umayyad Caliphate’s invasion of Europe; feudalism

12.   The king ceding land to his vassals enabling them to maintain mounted knights.

13.   Decentralization

14.   Ethnic (linguistic) disunity.

15.   Centralization and coordination of resources

16.   It is the most centralized in the world

17.   Doing anything to prevent its enemies from massing forces…

18.   The rest of the European states well understood that France could be the next to rule Europe and formed coalitions to prevent it.

19.   The French Revolution, missing the emergence of Prussia

20.   Nationalism, centralization.

21.   French power poured forth across Europe and North Africa OR It launched an all out invasion of the entire western world.

22.   The innovation of the nation state.

23.   The same strategies its monarchist predecessors used OR  a complex web of military alliances

24.   Its precarious geographic position in the middle of Europe required efficiency, much larger natural and demographic resources

25.   Far from being a threat post-was Germany was France’s new Maginot line, far from being exposed and vulnerable, France found itself facing the most congenial constellation of forces in history.

26.   France’s European project

27.    The reunification of Germany, ensuring that continued German membership in European institutions remained in Germany’s interest.

28.   By handing over Europe’s economic policy to the Germans

29.   France has deep economic ties with Germany and the EU. Any harm to Germany will affect them also.

30.   There are no other powers that are well positioned to interfere with this process.

31.   Because it has only one land approach to defend against.

32.   Complicating the life of France’s foes.

33.   They were not designed to be profitable OR It didn’t unduly harm France when they were lost or traded away.

34.   The resources it has are not sufficient to deal with the multiple challenges…

35.   Positive

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