Events in Europe continue to confound outside observers. Little more than a year ago, the signing of the Maastricht Treaty apparently signalled the achievement of a significant milestone in the evolution of European integration. Yet, reservations to this agreement quickly surfaced throughout the European Community, culminating in the Danish rejection in the spring and the narrow French victory in summer 1992. Subsequent events, to include Britain's and Italy's withdrawal from the Exchange Rate Mechanism, have only contributed to this already confusing situation. The authors of this study have attempted to explain these developments by focusing on developments within the context of the Franco-German relationship. Given recent developments and concomitant confusion, it may be instructive to reassess the current state of the Paris-Bonn axis. The authors' thesis is that France and the Federal Republic remain strongly committed to the concept of European integration, principally as a vehicle to overcome their collective past. A characteristic of this drive toward greater integration is the almost obsessive need to be in agreement, particularly when they are not. Moreover, when stymied in attempts to initiate and implement economic and political integration, these two countries invariably turn to military cooperation (e.g., the Eurocorps), to maintain the momentum of integration and promote greater consensus. The authors conclude by arguing that Washington needs to appreciate better the rationales behind these French and German initiatives and adopt a coherent policy towards a future European Defense Identity. This report meets an identified study requirement as established in the Institute's, The Army's Strategic Role in a Period of Transition: A Prioritized Research Program, 1993. The Strategic Studies Institute is pleased to offer this report as a contribution to the debate on the future role of the U.S. Army in a post-cold war Europe. John W. Mountcastle, Colonel, U.S. Army Director, Strategic Studies Institute Back to Table of Contents Franco-German Security Accommodation Back to SSI List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2001 by US Army War College. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com