The Pen & the Shield
A four-part historical series exploring the heart of strategic thinking
At a time when the modern world is undergoing a major geopolitical realignment, marked by the return of high-intensity conflicts and the erosion of multilateral certainties, the IHEDN invites you to delve into the archives that have shaped strategic thinking and the spirit of defence. From 3 to 24 August, this four-part series unearths an exclusive selection of landmark speeches delivered to the Institute’s students between 1936 and 1977. To understand the course of our century, we must indeed examine the previous one; for it is by deciphering the origins of past balances of power, the blind spots of yesterday and the flashes of insight from our predecessors that we equip ourselves to anticipate the crises of tomorrow and shed light on our strategic horizon.
This saga draws its strength from its historical dimension and the intellectual legacy of its authors. Whether they were military figures, sociologists, historians or diplomats, these great observers were able to rise above the turmoil of their times to identify the enduring aspects of war, demographic trends and cultural divides that still shape our present day. By revisiting these texts, the IHEDN provides an essential framework for understanding today’s world, reminding us that thought remains, more than ever, our foremost defence.
This first section brings together the Institute’s founding fathers and leading statesmen who have shaped the history of France and international relations. These seminal speeches lay the foundations for the IHEDN ethos.
- Vice-Admiral Raoul CASTEX - Inaugural address by the CHEDN (15 October 1936)
- General Charles MAST - Opening address for the session (29 November 1948)
- Charles de Gaulle (President of the Republic) – Opening address (3 November 1959)
- John F. KENNEDY (President of the United States) – Speech delivered at the White House reception for auditors (25 March 1963)
Over to the masters of strategic and military thought. This episode explores the concepts of foreign policy and the ‘grammar of war’, as theorised by the greatest minds of the post-war era.
- Raymond ARON (Journalist and sociologist) – «Policy and Strategy» (4 November 1952)
- General André BEAUFRE - «General Strategy» (15 November 1965)
Comprehensive defence is not confined to the armed forces: it encompasses the entire nation. Leading observers of their time analyse here the changes taking place in French society, covering the education of young people, the role of the media and national cohesion.
- Françoise GIROUD (Journalist and writer) – «The role of the print media» (15 February 1969)
- Jacques ELLUL (Lecturer at the Institute of Political Studies) – «Young People and French Society» (27 April 1970)
To bring this saga to a close, this final episode takes a broader view and expands its geographical and demographic scope. Through cultural, historical and diplomatic lenses, these key figures were already anticipating the major global balances we see today.
- Léopold Sédar SENGHOR (Speaker of the National Assembly of Mali) – «The Black Soul» (19 March 1960)
- Alfred SAUVY (Editor of the journal Population) – «The world’s population» (19 December 1975)
- Fernand BRAUDEL (Professor at the Collège de France) – «Characteristics of civilisation in the Mediterranean basin» (11 January 1977)
The IHEDN would like to thank the Archives Mission within the Prime Minister’s Office and the Defence Historical Service for facilitating access to these lectures.
