Figure 1.-- Charles had a spledid set of curls as a boy. I'm not sure when they were cut. He looks to be about 5 years old here which means the portrait was taken about 1895. Some famous people are easy to spot as childern. I doubt if many people would recognize Charles here as the fiture general and president.

General Charles de Gaulle is the most important French political leader of the 20th century. Many saw him during the dark years of German occupation as the savior of the French nation. His name today is averywhere in France and the former colonies (airport, streets, places, ect.). DeGualle as a junior offuicer had a gallant record from World War I. He commanded an armored division in the first year of World War II. He refused to surrender after the German invasion in 1940. He rejected the armistace as well as the Pétain Vichy Goverment. He escapd to France and organized the Free French resistance to the German's and the Vichy French Government which was colaborating with the Germans. He formed the French National Committee and fled to England. The Committe was to become the Free French movemnent. He made inspired radio broadcasts to occupied France. DeGualle quarled with both Churchill and Roosevelt who did not recognize his Free French movement as the Goverment of France. After D-Day, however, his popularity helped himn to quickly organize a government in the liberated areas. A French reader writes, "Général de Gaulle was not very well understand by President Roosevelt and Primeminister Churchill. Genéral de Gaulle is still highly respected in France. One finds his name everywhere . He is for us the real France in his independance, shining through the world. He is the father of our nuclear force; the friendly Franco-German; and peace in the world. President Chirac admired Général de Gaulle. Still to day some anti-American French mentality is coming of this problem, but all the French are aware that the French-American friendly is for ever."

Parents

Charles grew up in a highly nationalist family. His father was Henri de Gaulle, a schoolmaster. His mother was Jeanne Maillot. His father was able to control Charles. His mother reportedly could not. Charles was the third child in the family. The children adored their father. He would take them for walks. These would always begin with, "Fall in by the door." Often they did not enjoy walks, but their father would add stops at pastry shops or taverns to buy cheese and cider or beer. While in Paris, they might go to the Arctriomphe or to Napoleon's Tomb in the Invalides. There father had fought in the Franco Prussian War (1870-71) and he would show the children where he fought at Le Bourget or Stains. [Lacouture, p. 8.]

Childhood

Charles was born in Lille in the north near the Belgian border. The family soon moved to Paris, but there were constant trips back to Lille to visit family. Some authirs believe that this association with the north influenced Charles, giving him a sharper edge and more aware of the Germans. Charles appears to have been a difficult child. His elder sister Marie-Angès knew him very well as she was often in the position of defending the younger children from him. She reports that their mother from an early age was able to exert virtually no authority over him. She recalls once when Charles was about 7 years old that Charles announced to Maman that he wanted to ride the pony. She refused telling him that he rode the previous day. Charles then announced, "Then I'm going to believe naughty." He proceeded to toss his toys about, shoting, crying, and stamping his feet. Roosevelt and Churchill shurly would have agreed that he did no improve much with age. Charles was known to lock the bedroom door so mother coud not intervene and pound in Jacques and Pierre. His father was known to give him coins to be good and not bully the younger ones. He loved games, especially competitive ones. Some of the games the children played at home were: diablo, croquet, kites, ball games, blind man's bluff, and others. A favorite was war games with his toy soldiers. When the boys played with the soldiers, Charles always commanded the French trops. [Lacouture, pp. 6-8.]

Childhood Clothing

We have very little information about Charles' boyhood clothing.

Education

Their father made them study during the holidays. Here Charles did his wirk, but often at school he did not. His elder brother Xavier was a better student and his father pushed Charles to be more diligent. Charles received a rigorous French education. He was taught first by the Christian Brothers. Then by the the Jesuits (Collège de l'Immaculée Conception, the Antoing--Belgium, and the Collège Stanislas). A 1900 portrait shows him wearing a large white Peter Pan collar which he wore to school. He was 10 years old at the time. At the time he was not yet especially tall. As a younger boy Charles did not apply himself. But under considerable pressure from his father he began to give more attention to his studies at about 14 years of age. [Lacouture, p. 9.] De Gaulle attended the French military academy Saint-Cyr.

World War I

After graduating from Saint Cyr, De Gualle joined an infantry regiment commanded by the then Col. Philippe Pétain. He quickly imoressed Pétain and other important officers with his intellifence. De Gualle as a junior officer had a gallant record from World War I. He fought courageosly in the Battle of Verdun, arguably the most important battle of the War. He was wouunded three times and captured by the Germans. He was a Prisoner of War (POW) for nearly 3 years. He attempted to escape five times, but never succeeded in escaping.

Inter-war Era

De Gualle during the inyer-war era actively persued his military career. He served on the French military commission to Poland and promoted to major was part of the French occupation force in the Rhineland (1927-29). It was at this time that he became increasingly concerned about Germany, even before Hitler and the NAZIs seized power. He also served with the Army in the Middke East. De Gualle taught at Sait Cyr and was selected for advanced training at the Ecole Supérieure de Guerre (French WAr College) (1923-25). Marshal Pétain appointed him to the staff of the Conseil Supérieur de la Guerre (French Supreme War Council). Afterv promotion to lieutenabt colonel, De Guale served on the Vonseil Supéieur de la Défense Council (National Defense Council). De Gualle began to write on military strategy. He persued a range of themes. His most important book was The Army of the Future in which he argued for a small professional army that was highly meganized. The was in sharp contrast to French defense policy which was the maintenance of a large conscript army and static defense behind the Maginot line. When De Gualle began trying to win political support he encountered problems with high army officials including Pétain who attempt to prevent De Gualle from publishing another book.

World War II

De Gualle was given command of a tank brigade in the Fifth Army when the War broke out and then given command of the Fourth Armormed Division. The French had many excellent tanks, but no radio communication. French armored doctrine was different than the Germans. The French used their tanks piece meal rather than forming massed formations. When the German blow came (May 10), the German Panzers were spectaularly successful while the French tanks played only a minor role. De Gualle had been appointed Undersecretary for Defence and was used by Primier Reynard to coordinate with the British Government in the desperate days when German Pazers were driving into France. He was in London when the Reynard fell from power and Pétain signed an armistace with the NAZIs. De Gualle refused to surrender. He rejected the armistace as well as the Pétain Vichy Goverment. De Gualle was unknown to the French people, but organized the Free French resistance to the Germans and the Vichy French Government which was colaborating with the Germans. He formed the French National Committee and fled to England. The Committe was to become the Free French movemnent. He made inspired radio broadcasts to occupied France. It was these speeches that made him a symbol of French resistance. De Gualle quarled with both Churchill and Roosevelt who did not recognize his Free French movement as the Goverment of France. The American and British Torch landings (November 1942) secured Algiers and because of continued disagreements with Churchill moved his headquarters to Algiers. Despite the differences, directed the Free French Forces and the underground in France. After D-Day, De Gualle's popularity helped him to quickly organize a government in the liberated areas. A French reader writes, "Général de Gaulle was not very well understand by President Roosevelt and Primeminister Churchill. Genéral de Gaulle is still highly respected in France. Oone finds his name everywhere . He is for us the real France in his independance, shining through the world. He is the father of our nuclear force; the friendly Franco-German; and peace in the world. President Chirac admired Général de Gaulle. Still to day some anti-American French mentality is coming of this problem, but all the French are aware that the French-American friendly is for ever."

Post-war Era

De Gualle headed two provisional governents but resihned over a moinor dispute (1946). He later formed a politival party, the Rally of the French People (RPE). He opposed the Fourth Republic seeing in it many of the weaknesses of the Third Republic. De Gualle eventually abandoned the RPE. It was the crisis in Algeria that brought De Gualle to power. The war in Algeria brought France close to civil war. In the crisis, France again turned to De Gualle. He was was elected president (1958). He ended the long festering war in Algerian, recognizing Algerian indeoendence. He served as president for 10 years amid some controversy. Leftists parties were very critical of his leadership.

French Student Riots

French Assessment

General Charles de Gaulle is the most important French political leader of the 20th century. His name today is everywhere in France and the former colonies (airport, streets, places, ect.). A French reader writes, "Général de Gaulle was not very well understand by President Roosevelt and Primeminister Churchill. Genéral de Gaulle is still highly respected in France. Oone finds his name everywhere . He is for us the real France in his independance, shining through the world. He is the father of our nuclear force; the friendly Franco-German; and peace in the world. President Chirac admired Général de Gaulle. Still to day some anti-American French mentality is coming of this problem, but all the French are aware that the French-American friendly is for ever."

Sources

Lacouture, Jean. DeGaulle: The Rebel 1890-44 (WW Norton: New York, 1990), 615p.

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Created: 7:19 PM 6/30/2004
Last updated: 7:19 PM 6/30/2004