2. The Beginning…
Born in Lille, Educated in Paris at College
Stanislas
Fought in WWI as a Captain, wounded
several times, captured and spent the rest of
the war in Germany
Post-war served as an advisor in Poland, won
the Virtutis Military (Highest Polish Decoration)
Returned to France after being offered a job in
Poland
3. Exciting times!…War…encore
De Gaulle started the war as a colonel
Lead a successful Armored Division during the
invasion of France 1940
Designated the liaison to the UK
Opposed the surrender of France to Germany, fled
to London established Free France
"France has no friends, only interests.”
Lead the Free French Forces in their liberation of
France.
4. Post War France, what now?
Became the President of the Provisional Government of
the French Republic
Attempted to maintain French Indochina.
Resigned power after disagreeing with the new
constitution and a parliamentary system in 1946
5. Post War France, what now?
1946 to 1958 his “Formal Retirement” Wrote his war
memoires.
May 1958 Crisis…Defeats in Indochina… independence
of Tunisia and Morocco and defeat in Egypt and the
“Algerian Question”
De Gaulle is back!
6. The 5th Republic
Nov 1958 De Gaulle voted in.
Issued new France
Pressed for Nuclear Weapons
Made Treaties with Germany
Pushed for European Integration
Granted Independence to Algeria (Complicated)
7. All good things come to an end
Left NATO’s Military Command
All NATO Forces left France 1967
1960 France became a Nuclear Power n Recognized
Communist China
“May 68” Huge Demonstrations and Strikes
challenged De Gaulle’s Government
“Reform Yes, Chaos no”
8. Works and Inventions
Charles wrote memoirs after resigning as
president of France in January of 1946.
de Gaulle continued to write more memoirs after
resigning as president of France again in 1969.
9. Why de Gaulle is
Remembered Today
Charles was the best-known figure in the French
Resistance in WWII.
de Gaulle was the first president of France.
His best service to his country was preserving
democracy in France.
Charles de Gaulle
delivering a speech on the
radio during World War II.
10. Legacy & quates
Airport
“The General”
General De Gaulle
A powerful France that stud up for itself
11. The End
De Gaulle Dissolves Parliament, reelections were
held his party did well but he remained unpopular
Too old, too self-centered, too authoritarian, too
conservative and too anti-American
Resigned 1969, following rejection of his reforms
for senate in a nationwide referendum.
Continued to write memories and then died in 1970
suddenly while writing. He was quite healthy even
after recovering from Prostate Cancer.
