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How high is de Gaulle’s status in France

Charles de Gaulle, founder of the French Fifth Republic, French statesman, military strategist, and writer. He joined the army in World War I in 1913. During World War II, he created and led the Free French Government (French National Council) to fight against German aggression; after the war, he established the French Fifth Republic and served as the first republican president.

During his presidency, he advocated “moderation and cooperation” between the East and the West, and advocated trade and cultural exchanges with the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries. In 1964 he recognized the People’s Republic of China, he also advocated the withdrawal of US troops from Vietnam, and traveled to many countries to strengthen France’s international status.

On June 18, 1940, the French government headed by Pétain surrendered to Germany, causing the whole of France to suffer a huge humiliation.

The next day, the French people heard from the British radio what really belonged to France: “No matter what happens, the flames of French resistance must never be extinguished, and will never be extinguished.”

Since then, the famous “Free French” resistance movement began. This broadcast was made by former French undersecretary of defense and army Charles de Gaulle, who took office just two weeks ago.

In 1890, de Gaulle was born in Lille, northern France, into a Catholic aristocratic family. Determined to be ashamed of France’s defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, he was admitted to the Saint-Cyr Military Academy in 1909 and was awarded the rank of second lieutenant upon graduation. In the First World War, de Gaulle fought bravely, was promoted to captain, and received the highest honor cross.

At the Battle of Versailles, de Gaulle was captured and released after the war. In 1920, de Gaulle was promoted to major. From 1921 to 1922, he was a professor of military history at the Saint-Cyr Army School and the Senior Military School.

In 1925, he served as a staff officer in the office of Marshal Pétain, Vice President of the Supreme Military Court. From 1929 to 1931, he served as special commissioner in Iran, Iraq and Egypt respectively. In 1932, he worked in the Secretariat of the National Defense Council. During this period, he wrote a number of military monographs, which opposed the traditional theory of focusing on defense and emphasized the role of offense.

When the Second World War broke out, Charles de Gaulle served as the commander of the tank brigade. In May 1940, he was promoted to the commander of the Fourth Armored Division. He actively blocked the surprise attack of Nazi Germany on France on the front line. From June 5th to 17th of the same year, he served as the deputy secretary of state of the Ministry of National Defense, advocating resistance to the attack of Nazi Germany and refusing to sign the armistice agreement between Germany and France. After the Germans occupied Paris, Charles de Gaulle left England.

On June 25, he founded and led the French National Committee (later renamed the Free French Government, the French National Liberation Committee) to fight against Hitler’s German aggression. From 1943 to 1944, he organized the French Provisional Government and served as chairman. On August 25, 1944, he returned to Paris three days after the liberation of Paris. From August 1944 to January 1946, he served as Chairman of the Provisional Government and Minister of Defense, and resigned on January 26, 1946.

In 1947, the French People’s Union was created. After the organization disbanded in 1954, he retired to the countryside and wrote “Memoirs of War”. In June 1958, he became prime minister and proposed a new constitution to strengthen the presidential and executive powers. A referendum was held on September 28. The new constitution was passed with 78.5% of the votes and took effect on October 4.

Since then, the French Fifth Republic has replaced the Fourth Republic. France transitioned from a parliamentary system to a de facto presidential system.

In December 1958, de Gaulle was elected president of the Fifth Republic and was re-elected in 1965. He was forced to resign in April 1969 after losing referendums on regional reforms and Senate reforms.

Charles de Gaulle has always pursued an independent foreign policy and defense policy, opposed the control of major powers, and established the basic foreign policy direction of the Fifth Republic. In 1962, he decisively ended the French colonial war in Algeria, established diplomatic relations with China on January 27, 1964, and in 1966 decided to withdraw France from NATO’s military integration organization.

De Gaulle supported the development of nuclear weapons, formulated a pan-European foreign policy, worked to reduce the influence of the United States and the United Kingdom, prompted France to withdraw from the NATO military organization, opposed Britain’s accession to the European Community, and recognized the People’s Republic of China. This series of ideological policies is called De Gaulleism .

Author of “The Blade”, “The Army of the Future”, “France and Its Armies”, “Memoirs of War”, “Memoirs of Hope”, etc.

November 1970. De Gaulle died of a sudden heart attack. According to his will, the government did not hold a state funeral for him, but he occupied the same position as Joan of Arc and Napoleon in the hearts of the French people with his achievements.