February 13,1960 – Gerboise Bleue : First French nuclear test

February 13,1960 – France becomes the fourth country in the world to detonate a nuclear weapon. The 70-kt bomb, codenamed Gerboise Bleue, is set off in the North African desert (Reggane, French Algeria in the Sahara desert region of Tanezrouft, during the Algerian War )

Gerboise Bleue

Gerboise is the French word for jerboa, a desert rodent found in the Sahara. The color blue (Bleue) adjuncted is said to come from the first colour of the French Flag.

The plutonium filled bomb was detonated atop a tower with an altitude of 105 m with a yield of 65 kilotons. France became the fourth country to possess nuclear weapons.

Please read : February 6, 1778 : The Franco-American Alliance

Please read : November 26, 1688; Nine Years’ War : War of the Grand Alliance