Last-warning shot

The last-warning shot (French: tir d'ultime avertissement), sometimes called nuclear warning shot, is a concept in French nuclear doctrine about the use of nuclear weapons. It consists of a single nuclear strike using a "pre-strategic" nuclear weapon or a stripped-down strategic one, as a final warning to an opponent before the full use of strategic nuclear weapons. Contrary to the common meaning of the term "warning shot", supposed to be purposefully harmless, the strike is meant to directly target an opposing military force or an inhabited area. When first formulated, it was understood to involve a nuclear strike on West Germany targeted at an invading Warsaw Pact army, but was always defined ambiguously on purpose. The last-warning shot has remained a central element of French nuclear doctrine after the end of the Cold War, and is unique among other nuclear-armed states.

References

  1. ↑ Baconnet, Alexis (2 November 2016). "Les mutations du concept d'ultime avertissement". Revue Défense Nationale. 794 (9): 116–120. doi:10.3917/rdna.794.0116. ISSN 2105-7508. Retrieved 19 October 2026.
  2. ↑ Schoenborn, Benedikt (2 July 2010). "NATO forever?". The Routledge Handbook of Transatlantic Security. Routledge. pp. 74–88. doi:10.4324/9780203846698-6. ISBN 978-0-203-84669-8.
  3. ↑ Clarke, Michael (4 February 2014). "British and French Nuclear Forces after the Cold War". Taylor & Francis. pp. 116–145. doi:10.4324/9781315037295-6 (inactive 19 October 2026). Retrieved 19 October 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of October 2026 (link)
  4. ↑ Laird, Robbin F. (11 March 2019). "France's Nuclear Future". French Security Policy. Routledge. pp. 65–73. doi:10.4324/9780429038716-5. ISBN 978-0-429-03871-6.
  5. ↑ Laird, Robbin F. (11 March 2019). "The French Strategic Dilemma". French Security Policy. Routledge. pp. 81–104. doi:10.4324/9780429038716-7. ISBN 978-0-429-03871-6.