Magazine content is available exclusively for TIME subscribers.France: Maturing Force
France's nuclear force de frappe is the pride of Charles de Gaulle's old age, and he dotes upon it as part of his ultimate legacy to France. Last week De Gaulle journeyed south to Provence to see for himself how his offspring is growing. He watched a mock alert by Mirage bombers that can carry A-bombs, donned a white coat to tour a nuclear testing center at Cadarache and toasted workers with champagne at the huge Pierrelatte plant where uranium is enriched for use in a planned French H-bomb. The force will never approach...
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