Rose des Vents

Overview

Plan Bleu and Rose des Vents (also known as Arc-en-Ciel or “Rainbow”) were clandestine anti-communist networks in France, established as part of NATO’s broader “stay-behind” Operation Gladio during the Cold War. These networks were designed to prepare for resistance against a potential Soviet invasion but also engaged in domestic operations to counter communist influence, often through controversial means. While Plan Bleu was an early initiative disrupted in 1947, Rose des Vents became its successor, operating under the French intelligence service SDECE (Service de Documentation Extérieure et de Contre-Espionnage) and later the DGSE (Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure).

Plan Bleu

◦ Formation: Uncovered on June 30, 1947, by Socialist Interior Minister Édouard Depreux, Plan Bleu was an early anti-communist secret army formed in 1946–47, shortly after World War II. It was organized by far-right elements, including former Vichy collaborators and anti-communist resistance fighters, with support from Western intelligence, particularly the CIA. ◦ Objective: The network aimed to prevent a communist takeover in France, where the French Communist Party (PCF) was a major political force post-war, holding significant influence in the government until May 1947. Plan Bleu involved plans for sabotage, assassinations, and political destabilization to counter leftist movements. ◦ Exposure and Dissolution: Depreux’s revelation led to arrests and the dismantling of Plan Bleu, with 12 members detained and arms caches seized. The scandal implicated military and intelligence figures, but Prime Minister Paul Ramadier protected key SDECE leaders, allowing the network’s reformation under a new name.

Rose des Vents (Arc-en-Ciel)

◦ Formation: Established in late 1947 under the codename Rose des Vents (referencing the NATO compass rose symbol), this network replaced Plan Bleu. It was led by SDECE directors Henri Ribière and Pierre Fourcaud, with close ties to NATO’s Clandestine Planning Committee (CPC) and Allied Clandestine Committee (ACC). ◦ Structure: Rose des Vents included paramilitary units, former resistance fighters (non-communists), and members of the 11th Shock Parachute Battalion (11e Choc), a special forces unit under SDECE’s Service Action. Training occurred at the Centre d’Entraînement des Réserves Parachutistes (CERP) in Cercottes near Orléans, as well as sites in the Pyrenees and Calvi, Corsica, near the Italian Gladio headquarters. ◦ Activities: The network prepared for guerrilla warfare, sabotage, and intelligence-gathering in case of Soviet occupation. It also monitored Soviet agents and conducted domestic operations against communist and socialist groups, particularly during periods of political tension like the Algerian War (1954–1962). ◦ Key Figure: François de Grossouvre, a close aide to President François Mitterrand, was identified as the Gladio leader for the Lyon region until his alleged suicide in 1994 at the Élysée Palace. Grossouvre reportedly consulted Constantin Melnik, a former SDECE leader during the Algerian War, who had ties to the CIA and the Rand Corporation.

Connection to Operation Gladio

Plan Bleu and Rose des Vents were integral parts of Operation Gladio, NATO’s clandestine stay-behind program coordinated by the CIA and MI6 to counter Soviet threats and leftist political movements across Western Europe. France’s networks were unique due to their integration with the SDECE and the country’s complex post-war political landscape, including tensions with NATO during Charles de Gaulle’s presidency.

1 NATO and CIA Coordination: ◦ Plan Bleu: Initiated with CIA support, Plan Bleu was part of early post-war efforts to reorganize French intelligence after the dissolution of the communist-influenced Direction Générale des Études et Recherches (DGER) in 1946. The SDECE, established as a more anti-communist agency, absorbed Plan Bleu’s remnants, aligning with NATO’s anti-Soviet strategy. ◦ Rose des Vents: Established in 1947, Rose des Vents was directly linked to NATO’s CPC, formed in 1951, and later the ACC, operating under the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE). The network collaborated closely with NATO, with training and arms caches coordinated by the CIA and MI6. Its codename reflected NATO’s compass rose emblem, symbolizing its role in maintaining Western alignment. ◦ France’s partial withdrawal from NATO’s military structure in 1966 under de Gaulle did not dissolve Rose des Vents, which continued under SDECE control, indicating its deep integration into French intelligence.

2 Anti-Communist Operations: ◦ Both networks targeted the PCF, which was a significant political force in post-war France. Plan Bleu’s exposure in 1947 coincided with the exclusion of communist ministers from Ramadier’s government, reflecting a broader anti-communist purge supported by U.S. funding and Gladio’s framework. ◦ Rose des Vents conducted surveillance of Soviet agents and leftist groups, with the 11e Choc serving as its operational arm for covert actions, similar to the role of Aginter Press in Portugal. These actions included sabotage training and potential false-flag operations to discredit communists, aligning with Gladio’s “strategy of tension” seen in Italy. ◦ During the Algerian War, Rose des Vents operatives, including those linked to the Organisation Armée Secrète (OAS), a far-right group opposing Algerian independence, may have been involved in subversive activities. Some historians suggest that Rose des Vents contributed to the OAS’s formation, though NATO lost control of these networks during the war.

3 Training and Infrastructure: ◦ The 11e Choc, closely tied to Rose des Vents, trained Gladio operatives in weapons handling, explosives, and radio communications at CERP and other sites. These facilities were shared with Italian Gladio, indicating cross-border coordination. ◦ Arms caches, a hallmark of Gladio, were established across France, mirroring those in Italy and Belgium. These were intended for use in guerrilla warfare but could also support domestic operations against political opponents.

4 Links to Controversial Figures and Groups: ◦ François de Grossouvre’s role as Lyon’s Gladio leader tied Rose des Vents to high-level French politics. His alleged suicide in 1994 raised suspicions of foul play due to his knowledge of Gladio’s activities. ◦ Constantin Melnik’s involvement, with his CIA connections and links to the Ordre Souverain du Temple Solaire (a precursor to the Order of the Solar Temple cult), suggests Gladio’s reach into esoteric and intelligence networks. ◦ The Service d’Action Civique (SAC), a Gaullist militia, has been linked to Rose des Vents, with some members allegedly participating in Gladio operations. The SAC’s role in political violence during the 1960s and 1970s mirrors Gladio’s tactics in other countries.

5 Dissolution and Exposure: ◦ Plan Bleu was dismantled in 1947 after its exposure, but Rose des Vents continued until the early 1980s, when DGSE director Pierre Marion reformed it into a purely French-controlled network, independent of NATO. ◦ In 1990, following Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti’s revelation of Gladio, French Defense Minister Jean-Pierre Chevènement confirmed France’s involvement, stating the network was dissolved on presidential orders (likely Mitterrand’s). Mitterrand claimed only “rare elements” remained by 1981, though France attended the ACC’s final meeting in Brussels in October 1990, suggesting continued activity. ◦ Unlike Italy or Belgium, France conducted no parliamentary inquiry, leaving many details obscured. Historian Daniele Ganser notes that the French Gladio’s history “remains to be fully written,” due to limited declassified records.

6 Potential Links to Terrorism and Political Violence: ◦ While no direct evidence ties Plan Bleu or Rose des Vents to specific terrorist acts, their anti-communist operations and ties to far-right groups like the OAS and SAC raise suspicions of involvement in France’s political violence during the 1960s and 1970s, particularly during the Algerian War and May 1968 protests. ◦ The Order of the Solar Temple, linked to Melnik, was implicated in murders and mass suicides in the 1990s, suggesting Gladio’s influence extended into fringe groups, though evidence is speculative.

Conclusion

Plan Bleu and Rose des Vents were core components of France’s Gladio network, reflecting NATO’s strategy to counter Soviet and communist threats through covert means. Plan Bleu’s early exposure highlights the risks of such secret armies operating in a democracy, while Rose des Vents’ longevity and ties to the SDECE and 11e Choc suggest deep integration into France’s security apparatus. The networks’ potential links to the OAS, SAC, and even cults like the Order of the Solar Temple indicate a broader agenda of political manipulation, akin to Gladio’s “strategy of tension” in Italy.

Plan Bleu’s brief existence ended in scandal, while Rose des Vents operated covertly under SDECE, with training by the 11e Choc and coordination with NATO. Led by figures like François de Grossouvre, the network’s activities included surveillance, sabotage training, and possible ties to far-right groups like the OAS and SAC. The networks’ secrecy and France’s refusal to investigate fully obscure their full impact, but their connection to NATO’s clandestine framework is well-documented.