The second edition of the Year of National Defence (ADN) is here! Directed by Lieutenant General Benoît Durieux, Doctor of History and former Director of the IHEDN, coordinated by the Department of Studies and Research and published by La Documentation française, this overview of contemporary strategic changes covers all areas of military and national defence, as well as national and international security. The book is aimed at a wide readership: professionals in these fields, as well as students and ordinary citizens wishing to update their knowledge of these highly topical issues. The special feature of ADN is that all the analyses are based on a key text: an official text or an extract from a speech, for example.
By way of preview, here's a look at four contributions from this new edition.
In his article, Colonel Sébastien Botheron looks back on Operation Sagittaire. This intervention by the French armed forces, which took place from 22 to 27 April 2023, was aimed at evacuating nationals trapped in Sudan following the outbreak of civil conflict in the country. Colonel Botheron draws on his experience as chef de corps who commanded the tactical side of the operation in Sudan to provide a chronological review.
Three criteria had to guide France's action: complete neutrality; extreme speed; and the smallest possible footprint on the ground. In the end, France successfully evacuated its citizens and fulfilled its role as a framework nation, paving the way for its partners. The main conclusion drawn by Colonel Botheron is as follows: whatever form tomorrow's wars take, they will inevitably involve an engagement on the ground, among populations. Preparing for this type of operation is crucial.
In his contribution, Julia Grignon, university professor specialising in international humanitarian law and scientific director of theMilitary school (IRSEM), looks at the focus on blockades and sieges in the Manual of military operations law. This publication from the Legal Affairs Directorate of the Ministry of Defence gives the French forces' interpretation of the law of armed conflict. Although siege is not a prohibited method of warfare as such, its consequences can lead to significant violations of international humanitarian law.
Having a precise definition of this phenomenon will enable the French army to anticipate the related challenges. Julia Grignon points out that the forthcoming publication in English of the Manuel will enable French legal thinking on the law applicable to contemporary conflicts to be disseminated to a wide international audience, in particular other national armies, humanitarian actors and academics.
In his text, Alix d'Armaillé, an agricultural engineer from AgroParisTech, looks at a point sometimes overlooked : the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 on global food security. The war between these two world agricultural powers has had a major impact on the ability of many countries to obtain sufficient cereal resources to feed their populations. Alix d'Armaillé shows that agriculture can, worryingly, be used as a tool for political pressure in times of armed conflict. The author also highlights the challenge posed by the crisis to the European Union (EU). The organisation is torn between, on the one hand, the desire to encourage imports of Ukrainian agricultural products in order to support the country's economy and, on the other, the need for Member States to prioritise their domestic production.
In their article, Sepideh Farkhondeh and Clément Therme, specialists in Iran, review the award of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023 to Narges Mohammadia leading figure in popular protest in Iran. The prize was awarded after the major demonstrations in autumn 2022 caused by the death of Mahsa Amini at the hands of the Iranian vice patrol for "inappropriate wearing of Islamic dress".
The authors argue that the strength of the movement is due in particular to the ideological collapse of the Iranian regime within its borders and the economic failures of the Islamic Republic. The main conclusion is that the strategies of authoritarian restoration will not be able to counter a popular protest in the long term, of which Narges Mohammadi is today one of the most emblematic figures.
You can find all these contributions, and many more, in National Defence Year 2025Institut des hautes études de défense nationale and Documentation française, 202 p., €24.90 (paper) or €17.99 (digital).
Review the strategic debate on the launch of ADN 2025:
