Decree of 14 August 1936 creating a Collège des Hautes Études de Défense Nationale, preceded by the Blum government's report to the President of the Republic.

Published on :

14 August 1936

Decree of 14 August 1936 creating a Collège des Hautes Études de Défense Nationale, preceded by the Blum government's report to the President of the Republic.

Paris, 14 August 1936

Mr. Chairman,

The conditions under which the training of senior officers of the Land, Sea and Air Armed Forces is currently carried out, as well as that of officers destined to form the major General Staffs, no longer correspond to the current requirements of National Defence.

Despite persevering efforts, each of the three armies has confined itself too exclusively to its own domain, and the links established between them, however effective they may be, are still inadequate.

On the other hand, the State must pursue a national defence policy which, in order to be defined and implemented, requires not only the participation of the three military ministries, but also the indispensable assistance of all the departments (foreign affairs, finance, national economy, national education, colonies, public works, etc.) whose activities are largely carried out within the framework of the general national defence policy.

It is therefore essential to create a college where not only all the problems of military strategy, but also all those which have repercussions on the conduct of war (political, financial, economic and social) and whose solution will enable the Government responsible to define the State's national defence policy, will be studied, both before an elite of officers from the three armies and before a certain number of civil servants representing the ministries concerned. A representative of the Minister of National Education will sit on the College Development Council and will ensure that the teaching given in colleges is associated with the highest standards of French science and thought.

This College of Higher National Defence Studies will also create, among all its students, officers and civil servants, a unity of feeling, thought and doctrine which will be the best guarantee of unity of action to prepare in peacetime and to ensure in wartime the defence of the country.

The draft decree that we have the honour of presenting to you was drawn up by the Standing Committee on National Defence at its meeting of 29 July 1936, and if you would be good enough to approve its provisions, we would ask you, Mr Chairman, to sign it.

Yours sincerely

The President of the Council, Léon Blum

Edouard Daladier, Minister of National Defence and War, Vice-President of the Council

The Minister for the Interior, Roger Salengro

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Yvon Delbos

The Minister of Finance, Vincent Auriol

The Minister for the Navy, Gasnier-Duparc

The Minister for the Air, Pierre Cot

The Minister for Education, Jean Zay

Charles Spinasse, Minister for the National Economy

The Minister for Public Works, Albert Bedouge

The Minister for Trade, Paul Bastid

The Minister for Agriculture, Georges Monnet

The Minister for the Colonies, Marius Moutet

The Minister for Post and Telecommunications, Robert Jardillier

Decree of 14 August 1936 creating a Centre des Hautes Études de Défense Nationale (Centre for Advanced National Defence Studies)

JORF n°207 of 21 AUGUST 1936

The President of the French Republic

Having regard to the decree of 6 June 1936;Having regard to the opinion issued by the Standing Committee on National Defence at its meeting of 29 July 1936; Decree:

Art. 1 - A collège des hautes études de défense nationale (college of advanced national defence studies) is hereby created to study all the general problems raised by the nation's preparation for war and the general conduct of operations by the armed forces on land, at sea and in the air.

Art. 2 - In order to achieve this objective, the Collège des Hautes Études de Défense Nationale provides two types of training:a) general training designed to familiarise officers and civil servants with the major general problems concerning political, financial, economic and demographic issues, etc., as they relate to national defence in both peacetime and wartime;b) military training involving an examination of the problems of national strategy in relation to the issues of all kinds that determine it.

Art. 3 - The College's senior management is ensured by a "Conseil de perfectionnement", made up of the Chiefs of General Staff of the War, Navy and Air Force, acting on behalf of the Standing Committee on National Defence. The Director of Higher Education at the Ministry of National Education is also a member of this council.

Art. 4 - The Director of the College is chosen in turn from among general officers of the rank of Major General (Vice-Admiral) in the army, navy or air force, who are normally members of the War, Navy or Air Force High Councils. He is assisted by two deputy general officers representing the two services to which the general officer who heads the college does not belong.

The Director and his two deputies are appointed by the Minister for National Defence and War on the proposal of their respective ministers.

Art. 5. The Director of the College makes all useful proposals to the Standing Committee on National Defence concerning the officers and civilians teaching at the College. He receives the directives of the Standing Committee on National Defence and submits to it the programme of its work.

Art. 6. Courses at the collège des hautes études de la défense nationale are attended by officers of the rank of colonel (capitaine de vaisseau) or lieutenant-colonel (capitaine de frégate) from the three armies (land, sea and air), who have, in principle, already attended courses at their army's centres for advanced studies, and by military civil servants of corresponding ranks. They are appointed by their respective ministers on the recommendation of the chiefs of general staff.

The number of officers to be appointed each year is set by interministerial decree.

Officers seconded to the College continue to be administered by their respective departments.

In addition, each of the following Ministries: Interior, Foreign Affairs, Finance, National Education, National Economy, Public Works, Trade, Agriculture, Colonies, Post Office, Telegraphs and Telephones, designate a civil servant to receive instruction at the College. These designations are subject to the approval of the Minister of National Defence and War. The list of officers and civil servants required to attend the college is published in the Journal Officiel by the Minister of National Defence and War.

Art. 7 - The opening date and duration of the courses are set by order of the Minister for National Defence and War.

Art. 8. The organisation and administration of the college is the responsibility of the Minister of National Defence and War, who regulates all the details by decree.

Art. 9. The costs of organising and running the College are borne by the budget of the Ministry of National Defence and War.

Art. 10. The Ministers for National Defence and War, the Interior, Foreign Affairs, Finance, the Navy, the Air Force, National Education, the National Economy, Public Works, Trade, Agriculture, the Colonies, the Post Office, Telegraphs and Telephones are each responsible for the execution of this decree.

Paris, 14 August 1936

By the President of the Republic: Albert Lebrun