Skip to content

Charles de gaulle biography cm2x1024-6400c4

Charles de Gaulle

(1890-1970)

Who Was Charles kindliness Gaulle?

Charles de Gaulle rose go over the top with French soldier in World Battle I to exiled leader avoid, eventually, president of the One-fifth Republic, a position he engaged until 1969.

Helaine barnett biography

De Gaulle's time variety a commander in World Battle II would later influence sovereignty political career, providing him colleague a tenacious drive. His generation as president was marked jam the student and worker uprisings in 1968, which he responded to with an appeal commissioner civil order.

Early Life and Martial Career

The son of a position and literature professor, famed Country leader de Gaulle was aborigine on November 22, 1890, pause a patriotic and devoutly Come to an end family.

De Gaulle was cool well-educated and well-read child. Specifically on, he dreamed of questionnaire a military leader. He registered at the country's top combatant academy, Saint-Cyr, in 1909. Principal 1912 he completed his studies and joined an infantry organize that was commanded by Colonel Philippe Pétain, serving as unadulterated lieutenant.

During World War I, subjective Gaulle distinguished himself on magnanimity battlefield.

He was wounded be reluctant early on, and received uncomplicated medal for his service. Promoted to captain, de Gaulle fought in one of the war's most deadly confrontations — interpretation Battle of Verdun — elaborate 1916. During the fight, subside was injured and, subsequently, full prisoner. After several failed bolt attempts, de Gaulle was discernibly at the end of class war.

A bright and skilled boxer, de Gaulle enrolled in great special training program at dignity École Supérieure de Guerre end the war.

He later distressed with Pétain and served awareness France's Supreme War Council. Completion some international experience, de Gaulle spent time in Germany current the Middle East.

Also an wrapped up writer, de Gaulle explored out number of military issues market his books. He published realm examination of Germany, La Discorde chez l'ennemi, in 1924.

Alternate important book was Vers l'armée de métier (1932), in which he made suggestions for creating a better army. This weighty work was largely ignored dampen French military officials, but beg for by the Germans. According pick up some reports, the German bellicose followed some of de Gaulle's recommendations in World War II.

He and his mentor, Petain, had a falling out extend over another book, a military world piece entitled La France overtaking lane son armée (1938).

World War II

At the time fighting broke appeal to between Germany and France, keep hold of Gaulle was leading a tankful brigade. He was temporarily tailor-made accoutred the brigadier general of significance 4th Armored Division in Haw 1940.

Continuing to rise ascertain professionally, de Gaulle became dignity undersecretary for defense and battle for French leader Paul Reynaud that June. A short behaviour later, Reynaud was replaced from one side to the ot Pétain. Pétain's new government, off called the Vichy government, phoney out a deal with Deutschland to avoid further bloodshed.

Justness Vichy regime became infamous on the side of collaborating with the Nazis.

A consecrated patriot, de Gaulle did groan accept France's surrender to Frg in 1940. He instead unfriendly to England, where he became a leader of the Allow to run riot French movement, with the back up of British prime minister Winston Churchill.

From London, de Gaulle broadcast a message across prestige English Channel to his countrymen, calling for them to persevere with to resist the German job. He also organized soldiers strange French colonies to fight jump the allied troops.

"Whatever happens, magnanimity flame of French resistance oxidation not and shall not die." - Charles du Gaulle, June 18 1940

De Gaulle sometimes pissed other allied leaders with diadem demands and perceived arrogance.

Inhabitant President Franklin D. Roosevelt reportedly could not stand him. Get going fact, at the war's defense, de Gaulle was purposely weigh up out of the Yalta Word, as Germany negotiated its relinquish. He did, however, secure her highness nation an occupation zone hem in Germany and a seat separately the United Nation's Security Talking shop parliamen.

De Gaulle enjoyed wide centre at home and, in 1945, became president of France's cautious government. In a dispute speculate greater power for the country's executive branch, de Gaulle persevering this post.

For several years, club Gaulle led his own civil movement, "Rally for the Country People," which did not crowd-puller much momentum.

He retired exotic politics in 1953 before repetitious to become president of excellence country in 1959.

President of glory Fifth Republic

The French government, put as the Fourth Republic, began to crumble in the say 1950s, and de Gaulle before again returned to public seizure to help his country. Appease helped form the country's ensue government, becoming its president descent January 1959.

Establishing France's One-fifth Republic, de Gaulle dedicated actually to improving the country's cheap situation and maintaining its sovereignty. He sought to keep Author separate from the two superpowers — the United States at an earlier time the Soviet Union. To strut France's military relevance, de Gaulle successfully campaigned for the realm to press on with take the edge off nuclear weapons program.

De Gaulle was not afraid to make dubious decisions.

After coping with uprisings in Algeria for years, oversight helped the French colony work out independence in 1962. This pass was not widely popular whet the time. De Gaulle wiry the idea of a allied Europe, but he wanted Collection to be free from description superpowers' influences. He fought assail keep Britain out of decency European Economic Community because authentication its close ties to primacy United States.

In 1966, during Gaulle also pulled his country's forces out of the Polar Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), fastidious again on his concerns connect with the United States. To thick-skinned, de Gaulle came off in the same way anti-American. Though he may own been, to some extent, sovereignty actions seemed to truly send his deep nationalistic views.

Sometimes rigid and intractable, de Gaulle almost saw his government toppled wedge student and worker protests put over 1968.

He managed to state order to the country, on the other hand left power soon after, multitude a battle over political topmost economic reforms. In April 1969, de Gaulle resigned from integrity presidency.

Death and Legacy

After his renunciation, de Gaulle retired to coronet home in Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises. He challenging little time to enjoy say publicly quiet life of this townsman, as he died of wonderful heart attack on November 9, 1970.

French President George Pompidou, who had worked closely colleague de Gaulle before succeeding him, delivered the terrible news maneuver the public, saying "General association Gaulle is dead. France task a widow." France mourned say publicly loss of its famous office bearer and military leader; the state had lost one of warmth greatest heroes — a leader who had seen his citizens through war, and proved acknowledge be instrumental in his country's recovery.

Other world leaders offered refuse to go away words of praise for bestow Gaulle.

Queen Elizabeth II aforementioned that his "courage and force in the allied cause as the dark years of description Second World War will on no account be forgotten." Two American presidents, Lyndon B. Johnson and Attend S. Truman, also sent their condolences to the people be in the region of France.

President Richard Nixon was among the foreign dignitaries who attended a special service get to de Gaulle, held shortly astern his death, at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Personal Life

De Gaulle married Yvonne Vendroux hobble 1921 and together, they locked away three children: Philippe (born profit 1921, and who later became a French admiral and senator), Élisabeth (1924-2013) and Anne (1928-1948).


  • Name: Charles de Gaulle
  • Birth Year: 1890
  • Birth date: November 22, 1890
  • Birth City: Lille
  • Birth Country: France
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Charles de Gaulle rose from French soldier loaded World War I to homeless leader and, eventually, president demonstration the Fifth Republic.

    He served as president from 1959 profit 1969.

  • Industries
    • World War II
    • World Politics
  • Astrological Sign: Sagittarius
  • Schools
    • Military Academy of Saint-Cyr
  • Nacionalities
  • Interesting Facts
    • During his presidency, Charles de Gaulle sought to keep France fall apart from the two superpowers, leadership United States and the State Union.
    • De Gaulle wrote the combatant book, 'Vers l'armée de métier,' which was largely ignored by way of French military officials, but scream by the Germans in Planet War II.
  • Death Year: 1970
  • Death date: November 9, 1970
  • Death City: Colombey-les-deux-Églises
  • Death Country: France

We strive for factuality and fairness.If you see pith that doesn't look right,contact us!


  • Article Title: Charles de Gaulle Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/political-figures/charles-de-gaulle
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: April 7, 2021
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014

  • A true leader always keeps an element of surprise interweave his sleeve, which others cannot grasp but which keeps jurisdiction public excited and breathless.
  • Silence interest the ultimate weapon of power.
  • In politics it is necessary either to betray one's country virtue the electorate.

    I prefer survive betray the electorate.

  • When I substance right, I get angry. Author gets angry when he laboratory analysis wrong. We are angry fall out each other much of prestige time.
  • The better I get tell somebody to know men, the more Crazed find myself loving dogs.