The introduction of women into the armed forces is the fruit of a long historical process which has had to deal with a society marked by deep-rooted prejudices about the feminine condition. It took until the second half of the twentieth century for attitudes to change and allow a wider place for women in this male bastion. In a well-documented article, Michel Klen analyses this sociological process and puts forward his thoughts on the problems associated with the arrival of women in almost all military posts.