Facing the Flag (Original French title: Face au drapeau) is an 1896 patriotic novel by Jules Verne. It can be considered one of the first books dealing with problems which were to become paramount half a century after its publication: brilliant scientists discovering new weapons of great destructive power, whose full utilisation might literally destroy the world; the competition between various powers to obtain control of such weapons; and also the efforts of ruthless non-state groups to have it