From Ashes to Atoms

France emerged from World War II energy-poor and dependent. The nation possessed modest coal reserves, no oil, and limited hydroelectric potential. Importing energy meant draining precious foreign currency and remaining vulnerable to supply disruptions. The winter of 1946-47, when coal shortages left Parisians freezing, demonstrated the urgent need for energy independence.

The French nuclear program began with remarkable scientific heritage. The Curie family's pioneering radioactivity research provided theoretical foundations. Joliot-Curie's team included several women scientists who had worked with Marie and Irène Curie, bringing unique perspectives on radiation safety and measurement. Marguerite Perey, who discovered francium and later became the first woman elected to the French Academy of Sciences, developed detection methods crucial for reactor control.

But transforming scientific knowledge into industrial capability required more than brilliant individuals. In 1945, Charles de Gaulle created the Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique (CEA), giving it extraordinary autonomy and resources. Unlike the American Manhattan Project's military focus, the CEA pursued both military and civilian applications from the start, recognizing that nuclear technology's dual nature required integrated development.

The early reactors—Zoé, followed by larger research reactors at Saclay and Marcoule—served multiple purposes. They produced plutonium for France's independent nuclear deterrent (against American wishes), generated scientific knowledge, and trained the engineers who would build France's nuclear future. This multi-purpose approach, controversial at the time, proved prescient.