France’s DGSE: History, Evolution, and Adaptation

The provided text, "France's DGSE History and Evolution," offers a detailed overview of France's foreign intelligence agency, the DGSE, and its predecessor, the SDECE. It charts the agencies' evolution through various historical periods, from their origins in World War II and the wars of decolonization to the Cold War, the post-9/11 era, and the current landscape of hybrid warfare and great-power competition. The source highlights a recurring cycle of crises and reforms, including significant scandals like the Rainbow Warrior bombing and intelligence failures in Africa and Ukraine, which consistently prompted structural and strategic transformations. Ultimately, the text illustrates the DGSE's ongoing adaptation to defend French interests and project power globally, culminating in its current reorientation under new leadership to address modern threats from Russia and China.

Research done with the help of artificial intelligence, and presented by two AI-generated hosts.