An outstanding statesman, who is rightfully recognized as one of the greatest politicians of the 20th century, a military general, leader and inspirer of the French Resistance, Charles de Gaulle twice headed the government during times of dire national crisis and each time not only saved the situation, but also raised the international prestige of France, promoted preserving world peace.
Childhood
Charles de Gaulle was born on November 22, 1890 in the small town of Lille in an aristocratic family. It was a wealthy pious family, and such concepts as homeland, honor, duty were valued above all else. Charles had three brothers and one sister. The boy was very fond of reading and most of all books on the history of France. His favorite heroine was Joan of Arc. Her tragic story has sunk into his soul so much that he was imbued with an almost mystical apprehension. As he later recalled: "I was convinced that the purpose of life is to accomplish an outstanding feat in the name of France, and that the day will come when I will have such an opportunity."
Battle way
Another passion for Charles was military affairs. After studying at a Jesuit college, Charles entered the Special Military School in Saint-Cyr, where Napoleon once studied. In 1912, de Gaulle graduated from Saint-Cyr with the rank of lieutenant, and two years later he began his military career on the fields of the First World War.
Having distinguished himself in battle, Charles received the rank of captain. In 1916, under Verdun, he was captured by the wounded. Six times he tried to escape, but unsuccessfully, he was released only in 1918. After returning to Paris, de Gaulle studied at the Higher Military School, wrote books on issues of strategy and tactics, taught at the Imperial Guard School, and gradually gained fame in army circles. In 1930, de Gaulle received the rank of lieutenant colonel, and in 1937 he already commanded a tank corps with the rank of colonel. By the way, de Gaulle was one of the first to point out the decisive role of armored forces in a future war.
In May 1940, in the battles on the Somme de Gaulle showed great personal courage, and he was promoted to brigadier general, but in June the French suffered a crushing defeat from the Nazi troops. De Gaulle called on the radio to all Frenchmen to continue the fight and join the Free France movement organized by him, after which the new government sentenced him to death in absentia. In 1941, under the auspices of the national committee he organized, the French armed forces were revived and took an active part in hostilities in the Middle East and Africa. After the liberation of France, De Gaulle returned to Paris and led the government.
The president
Charles de Gaulle was of the opinion that the president of the country should have maximum power, without looking at the parliament, because of which he had insoluble disagreements with the deputies of the Constitutional Assembly, and in January 1946 he resigned as president.
However, after 12 years, during the acute political crisis caused by the colonial war in Algeria, de Gaulle, who was already 68 years old, was again elected president (this time with broad authority, with a limited role for parliament), and under his leadership, lasting until 1969, France regained the status of a great world power.
There were 31 assassination attempts on Charles de Gaulle, but he died quietly and calmly, a natural death, on November 9, 1970.
