Since independence, Gabon has been "one of France's closest allies in Africa".Gabon threatens France with tit-for-tat deportation by Antoine Lawson, Reuters, 4 March 2008 During the 1960s Gabon was France's sole source of Uranium and the French government therefore saw its relationship with Gabon as critical to its Force de frappe (nuclear deterrent).Charles F. Darlington Oral History Interview - JFK #1, 12/3/1971, pg.8, http://archive1.jfklibrary.org/JFKOH/Darlington,%20Charles%20F/JFKOH-CFD-01/JFKOH-CFD-01-TR.pdf In the early 1960s the French government also established a policy goal of "energy independence" however with the loss of its control over French Algeria it came to rely heavily on Gabon for its oil needs.The French African Connection 1of3: France's Thirst for Energy (video), Al Jazeera, 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZKHZVVRITY In February 1964 French troops helped to overthrow the Gabonese regime during the 1964 Gabon coup d'état and French citizens spread rumors of American involvement in the coup which led to the 1964 United States Embassy in Libreville bombings.
