Who was Charles de Gaulle? How did he end up as the leader of Free France? What other key Frenchmen competed with De Gaulle for leadership and why did the Allies support De Gaulle?
General Charles de Gaulle was one of the innovators of armored warfare as practiced in World War II. De Gaulle’s writings, although first ignored, eventually led to his obtaining command of the French 4th Mechanized Division in May, 1940, just as the German invasion began. The counterattack he made did not save his country, but was one of the few bright moments in the national disaster. De Gaulle was appointed Under-Secretary for War and was in London, meeting with the British, when France fell. "France has lost a battle, she has not lost the war." These words …show more content…
These were of value for propaganda purposes, as sources of spies and saboteurs to be sent back to the occupied countries and for helping thousands of young men to escape from Europe and form regular military units to fight against the Germans.
De Gaulle was faced with many issue but mainly was that the United States had already recognized the "Vichy" government and Roosevelt felt he could not legally recognize the Free French as well. "Two France Policy" led to confusion as America entered the war. With the British and Free French being at war with the Vichy government while the Americans were not. Even after U.S. forces invaded French North Africa in November, 1942, Franklin D. Roosevelt wanted to replace De Gaulle with his rival, Gen. Giraud, which led to endless friction in the Allied high …show more content…
Giraud had named his regime “Civil and Military High Command,” thus revealing its essentially military character. De Gaulle demanded the creation of a political power independent of the military command. In the present condition of the French bourgeoisie, the specific weight of such a political power in face of the army can be only very weak. Even this, however, was enough to worry Giraud. He rejected all idea of a political power distinct from the military command and hastened to announce that De Gaulle meant to impose a ready-made government on the people of France. Washington and the American press echoed this accusation. That De Gaulle’s aims in the France of tomorrow will be far from pure democracy is very likely. But it was comical to see democracy suddenly become the principal care of the Bonaparte-apprentice Giraud. The discussions between Giraud and De Gaulle, from March to the end of May, were centered around whether the new regime would be simply a “High Command” or if it would be a political body. To De Gaulle’s program of restoration of republican legality Giraud’s opposition was only a negative program of remaining silent over a past too compromising for the majority of his supporters. Therefore he found himself in an extremely difficult position in the discussions and had to take up the fight on points where he was beaten in
General Charles de Gaulle was one of the innovators of armored warfare as practiced in World War II. De Gaulle’s writings, although first ignored, eventually led to his obtaining command of the French 4th Mechanized Division in May, 1940, just as the German invasion began. The counterattack he made did not save his country, but was one of the few bright moments in the national disaster. De Gaulle was appointed Under-Secretary for War and was in London, meeting with the British, when France fell. "France has lost a battle, she has not lost the war." These words …show more content…
These were of value for propaganda purposes, as sources of spies and saboteurs to be sent back to the occupied countries and for helping thousands of young men to escape from Europe and form regular military units to fight against the Germans.
De Gaulle was faced with many issue but mainly was that the United States had already recognized the "Vichy" government and Roosevelt felt he could not legally recognize the Free French as well. "Two France Policy" led to confusion as America entered the war. With the British and Free French being at war with the Vichy government while the Americans were not. Even after U.S. forces invaded French North Africa in November, 1942, Franklin D. Roosevelt wanted to replace De Gaulle with his rival, Gen. Giraud, which led to endless friction in the Allied high …show more content…
Giraud had named his regime “Civil and Military High Command,” thus revealing its essentially military character. De Gaulle demanded the creation of a political power independent of the military command. In the present condition of the French bourgeoisie, the specific weight of such a political power in face of the army can be only very weak. Even this, however, was enough to worry Giraud. He rejected all idea of a political power distinct from the military command and hastened to announce that De Gaulle meant to impose a ready-made government on the people of France. Washington and the American press echoed this accusation. That De Gaulle’s aims in the France of tomorrow will be far from pure democracy is very likely. But it was comical to see democracy suddenly become the principal care of the Bonaparte-apprentice Giraud. The discussions between Giraud and De Gaulle, from March to the end of May, were centered around whether the new regime would be simply a “High Command” or if it would be a political body. To De Gaulle’s program of restoration of republican legality Giraud’s opposition was only a negative program of remaining silent over a past too compromising for the majority of his supporters. Therefore he found himself in an extremely difficult position in the discussions and had to take up the fight on points where he was beaten in