L'union sacrée, l'exception qui confirme la règle

The Sacred Union - the exception which confirms the rule ?, Jean-Jacques Becker. The Sacred Union ! This historic precedent haunts French collective memory, and feeds the speeches advocating national unity. In 1914, the feeling was indeed virtually unanimous : national defense demanded that political cleavages be put aside. It is clear that this strong national feeling carried at first more weight than the centrifugal forces. Soon, however, the reference to the Sacred Union became tainted by second thoughts : the call for consensus had partisan motives. This second version, opposed in its very essence to any democratic peace time functioning, prevailed in later attempts, which explains their failure. Never after, not even in 1939, were there anything but partial Sacred Unions.Becker Jean-Jacques. L'union sacrée, l'exception qui confirme la règle. In: Vingtième Siècle, revue d'histoire, n°5, janvier-mars 1985. Les guerres franco-francaises. pp. 111-122