Depuis la chute du Mur de Berlin en 1989, l'Union Européenne s'affirme sur le devant de la scène mondiale en s'appuyant sur sa formidable économie. Pourtant, sa politique étrangère commune n'est pas à la mesure de sa taille économique. Sa sécurité est assurée par l'OTAN et des efforts contradictoires se manifestent pour une politique étrangère commune. La construction européenne ne sera complète qu'avec une armée européenne sous une unique bannière. Les crises successives au voisinage de l'Europe rassemblent les europoliticiens qui décident de créer des forces armées trans-européennes avec un mandat clair et avec l'aval de l'OTAN pour éviter le dispersement inutile des ressources capacitaires euro-atlantiques afin de participer aux missions de l'ONU dans la sécurité mondiale. Les efforts du maintien capacitaire de l'Union Européenne entrainent le développement de l'économie industrielle militaire et civile grâce aux innovations duales, sur laquelle s'appuie la politique coercitive de l'Union Européenne. / Since the fall of the Berlin's Wall in 1989, the European Union asserts its leading role in the world through its tremendous economy. But its common foreign policy does not have the size of its economy. lts security is ensured by NATO and the contradictory objectives are embodied in the common foreign policy. The European construction will be complete only when it will have its integrated army under a single banner. The successive crises gather the European lawmakers who decide to create trans-European armed forces with a clear mandate and with the consent of NATO to avoid the dispersal of euro-Atlantic strategic resources in order to participate in the missions of UN in the world's security. The efforts to build up the EU's strength promote the large military and civil economic increases of industrial dual innovations. And the European coercive policy bases on these behalf.

This dissertation traces military integration in Europe from the 1940s to the early 2000s in order to reveal the growth of a common European defence identity. Four factors characterize its approach. First, European defence identity is analyzed in relation to the broader path of European integration and its historical context, showing connections with key turning points in European integration, with the evolution of Franco-German relations and European-American relations, with the Cold War and subsequent Collapse of Communism, etc. Second, the dissertation applies theories of identity formation to guide the historical analysis. This approach draws attention, for example, to the important roles that borders and symbols played in European defence identity formation. Third, the thesis adopts a hybrid “top-down” and “bottom-up” approach; one side considers formal programs, policies, and institutions that promoted a European defence identity, while the other takes stock of public perceptions, actions by “rank and file” soldiers, etc. This dual approach helps to reveal more fully the complex, negotiated character of European defence identity formation. Finally, this thesis traces the growth of a European defence identity as a path of ideological and emotional change, growing commitment, and trust-building that spanned decades.

This dissertation traces military integration in Europe from the 1940s to the early 2000s in order to reveal the growth of a common European defence identity. Four factors characterize its approach. First, European defence identity is analyzed in relation to the broader path of European integration and its historical context, showing connections with key turning points in European integration, with the evolution of Franco-German relations and European-American relations, with the Cold War and subsequent Collapse of Communism, etc. Second, the dissertation applies theories of identity formation to guide the historical analysis. This approach draws attention, for example, to the important roles that borders and symbols played in European defence identity formation. Third, the thesis adopts a hybrid “top-down” and “bottom-up” approach; one side considers formal programs, policies, and institutions that promoted a European defence identity, while the other takes stock of public perceptions, actions by “rank and file” soldiers, etc. This dual approach helps to reveal more fully the complex, negotiated character of European defence identity formation. Finally, this thesis traces the growth of a European defence identity as a path of ideological and emotional change, growing commitment, and trust-building that spanned decades.