Charles de Gaulle: biography, personal life, political career

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:40

The biography of Charles de Gaulle is of great interest to anyone who is interested in modern politics. This is a French statesman and military leader, general. During the Second World War, he became one of the active participants in the Resistance. Founder of the Fifth Republic. From 1959 to 1969 he served as president. In this article we will talk about his fate, political career and personal life.

Childhood and youth

To tell the biography of Charles de Gaulle, let's start from 1890, when he was born in Lille. The boy grew up in a Catholic and patriotic family. His father was a philosophy professor. Young Charles has been addicted to reading since childhood. The history of his native country struck him so much that the future president formed a mystical concept of serving France.

From a young age in the biography of Charles de Gaulle, a passion for military affairs played an important role. He entered the Special School in Saint-Cyr, deciding that he would serve in the infantry, since it is located inclose proximity to the main hostilities. Since 1912, he has been in an infantry regiment under the command of Colonel Pétain.

World War I

Two years later, the First World War begins, which leaves a big mark on the biography of Charles de Gaulle. In military operations, he participates in the army of Charles Lanrezac, which is fighting in the northeast.

Already on August 15, 1914, he received his first wound. It returns to service only in October. In the spring of 1916, he was wounded again at the Battle of Mesnil-le-Hurlu. In the rank of captain, he was wounded for the third time in the Battle of Verdun. De Gaulle remains on the battlefield, his relatives are already posthumously receiving honors from the army. However, he survives, being captured by the Germans. After the Mayenne hospital, Charles is transferred to various fortresses. The officer makes six attempts to escape.

He managed to free himself only after the armistice - in November 1918. While in prison, the hero of our article writes his first book called "Discord in the camp of the enemy".

Peaceful life

After the First World War, normal life temporarily sets in. He teaches the theory of tactics in Poland, then briefly participates in the Soviet-Polish war of 1919-1921.

Returning to his homeland, he marries Yvonne Vandru, who at the end of 1921 gives birth to his son, Philip. Two years later, a daughter, Elizabeth, is born. The third child in the family of the future president is Anna. The youngest girl, who appeared in 1928, suffered from Down syndrome. She died at the age of 20. De Gaulle became a trustee of a charitable foundation for children with this problem. In the 1930s, he received the rank of colonel, earning a reputation as a military theorist.

Resistance to fascism

On the eve of the start of the Second World War, de Gaulle is appointed to the post of commander of tank troops. In May 1940, when the situation in France was critical, de Gaulle became a brigadier general and deputy minister of defense. In this status, he is trying to resist the plans for a truce. As a result, French Prime Minister Reynaud resigned, and Petten, who took his place, immediately began negotiations on an armistice with Germany. Immediately after that, de Gaulle flew to London, not wanting to participate in this.

Telling a short biography of Charles de Gaulle, it should be noted that this moment was a turning point in his career. On June 18, he addresses the nation on the radio, calling for the creation of the Resistance. He accuses the Petten government of betrayal.

As a result, it was the Resistance that played an important role in the liberation of France from the Nazis. The hero of our article takes part in a solemn procession through the streets of Paris.

Provisional Government

After the victory over Germany, it was de Gaulle who, in August 1944, was at the head of the Provisional Government. In this post, he remains for a year and a half, in which many believe he saves France from exclusion from the ranks of the great powers.

At the same time, one has to decidenumerous social problems. The country has high unemployment and a low standard of living. The situation cannot be improved even after the parliamentary elections, as no party receives an overwhelming advantage. The communists win and make Maurice Teresa prime minister.

De Gaulle goes into opposition, hoping to come to power at the head of the Rally of the French People. As a result, he actually declares war on the Fourth Republic, each time claiming that he has the right to power, since it was he who led the country to liberation. However, there were many careerists in the party. Some did not prove themselves in the best way during the Vichy regime. The party fails in the municipal elections, and in 1953 de Gaulle dissolves it.

Return to power

The Fourth Republic finds itself in a protracted crisis by 1958. It is exacerbated by the protracted war in the French colony in Algeria. In May, Charles de Gaulle addresses the people with an appeal, saying that he is ready to take over the leadership of the country. In another situation, it might look like a call for a coup d'état. Now, however, France is facing a real threat. In Algeria, the situation is critical: the military is demanding the creation of a "government of public confidence." The Pflimlen government resigns, President Coty demands that the National Assembly elect de Gaulle as prime minister.

Creation of the Fifth Republic

Back in power, politician Charles de Gaulle holds constitution altransformations. He expressed his ideas already in the post-war years. De Gaulle advocates the separation of executive and legislative powers, with the president having the main powers.

The powers of Parliament are significantly limited. The head of state is now determined by a board of 80 thousand people's electors, and since 1962 a popular vote for the president has been introduced. In the biography of the politician Charles de Gaulle, January 8, 1959 becomes a landmark, when the inauguration ceremony takes place. Previously, 75.5% of electors gave their votes for him.

Foreign policy

The first priority, according to de Gaulle, was the decolonization of France. After that, he expected to start social and economic transformations. In trying to solve the problem of Algeria, the president met resistance in his own government. The politician himself was inclined towards the association option, when in an African country the government would be elected according to the national composition, based on the foreign policy and economic union with France.

Already on September 8, the first of 15 assassination attempts organized by the ultra-right Secret Army Organization took place. In total, 32 assassination attempts were made on the French president in his entire life. The war in Algiers ended with the signing of the Evian Accords. They led to a referendum and the formation of an independent Algeria.

Relations with NATO

In foreign policy, Charles de Gaulle makes fateful decisions, breaking off relations with the US and NATO. France begins to actively test nuclear weaponsweapons, which causes dissatisfaction in America. In 1965, de Gaulle announced the country's refusal to use the dollar for international payments and the transition to the gold standard.

In February 1966, France leaves NATO. In the international arena, the French position is sharply anti-American.

Domestic policy

There were many questions about Charles de Gaulle's domestic policy. Many of his decisions drew criticism. Due to the unsuccessful agrarian reform, which ended with the liquidation of a large number of peasant farms, the standard of living in the country dropped markedly. This was also influenced by the arms race, the growing influence of domestic monopolies. As a result, the government actively called for self-restraint as early as 1963.

The number of unemployed in the country has been constantly growing, mostly among them were young people. At the same time, two million workers received the minimum wage and were forced to survive. This group included women, factory employees and immigrants. The city's slums were constantly growing.

Even the privileged strata had cause for concern. The propaganda of higher education has led to a shortage of places in student dormitories, problems with the material support of universities and transport. In 1967, the government begins to talk about tougher selection for universities, which leads to unrest among students. The unions opposed the welfare ordinance.

The political situation was also unstable by that time. There were several left-wing radical groups,who came to power. Among them were Trotskyists, anarchists, Maoists. Agitation was actively conducted among young people, primarily among students. In addition, anti-war sentiments were active: an anti-nuclear movement was created in France.

Active government propaganda was carried out on radio and television. Only newspapers remained independent. The policy of prestige, which was positioned by de Gaulle, and his nationalism at that time no longer met the cultural, material and social expectations of the majority of the French. It was the socio-economic policy that became an important factor in the loss of confidence in him.

Discontent was caused by the figure of the politician himself. To young people, he seemed authoritarian and out of date. There were many miscalculations in the economic policy of Charles de Gaulle, which ultimately led to the fall of his administration.

The May 1968 events were decisive. They began with left-wing student protests, which turned into riots and demonstrations. It all ended with a 10 million strike. This led to a change of government and the resignation of the president.

Resignation

During the parliamentary elections in 1968, the general's supporters lost, which means that the majority of the French expressed distrust of his programs. Speaking briefly about the policy of Charles de Gaulle, it can be noted that his fate at that moment was sealed.

In 1969, de Gaulle initiated another constitutional referendum, stating in advance that he was ready to resign in case of defeat. However, he had no particular illusions.regarding their outcome. When defeat became apparent, he announced that he was resigning from his duties as President of the Republic.

After that, de Gaulle and his wife went to Ireland, rested several times in Spain, continuing to work on "Memoirs of Hope". At the same time, the former politician actively criticized the new authorities, who, in his opinion, did away with the greatness of France.

In November 1970, he died of a ruptured aorta in a commune in northeastern France. He was 79 years old. According to a will drawn up back in 1952, only his closest relatives and comrades in the Resistance were present at the funeral.