Les Allemands et le nucléaire : histoire d’un double défi. Seconde partie : De la contestation à la «sortie» du nucléaire

Abstract

The Federal Republic of Germany launched a civilian nuclear programme in the mid 1950’s but her ambitions were by no means restricted to civilian applications: Chancellor Adenauer was hoping to develop a military programme in order to raise the status of his country by joining the very restricted club of nuclear powers. But due to the opposition expressed by the Allied forces, Germany then concentrated on the development of an ambitious civilian programme which would still have to face two major challenges: The restricted availability of uranium due to the non-proliferation policy of the great nuclear powers. Indeed, although Germany had abandoned any intention of developing a military programme, her civilian programme suffered from those international restrictions. Adding to this difficulty, a second challenge also arose from the outset: the protest against both military and civilian applications of nuclear energy within German society, which would finally lead to the end of the nuclear programme.