Mitterrand's France, the End of the Cold War, and German Unification: A Reappraisal

France's role is often overlooked in the abundant literature on the end of the Cold War. In addition, most accounts tell of the country's alleged lack of understanding for the democratic revolutions in the East and of its supposed attempt to block German unification. Yet archival research, now becoming possible, which allows for a thorough reappraisal, categorically invalidates most of this. In spite of concerns over the risk of instability – which were shared by other key players – French diplomacy in fact played an important and constructive role in the events of 1989–91, not least through the relaunch of European integration which led to the 1992 Maastricht Treaty. The French case provides a useful reminder that the dominant narrative of these events – with its almost exclusive focus on the superpowers (the US to begin with) and its lack of interest in European actors or factors – needs to be revised.