Charles de Gaulle - Quotes, Facts & Presidency - Biography

Charles de Gaulle  ©De Gaulle was a French general and statesman, leader of the Free French during World War Two and the architect of the Fifth Republic.

Charles de gaulle biography brefford Charles de Gaulle (born November 22, , Lille, France—died November 9, , Colombey-les-deux-Églises) was a French soldier, writer, statesman, and architect of France’s Fifth Republic. Education and early career. De Gaulle was the second son of a Roman Catholic, patriotic, and nationalist upper-middle-class family.

His political ideology, 'Gaullism', has become a major influence in French politics .

Charles de Gaulle was born in Lille on 22 November and grew up in Paris, where his father was a teacher. De Gaulle chose a military career and served with distinction in World War One.

During the s he wrote books and articles on military subjects, criticising France's reliance on the Maginot Line for defence against Germany and advocating the formation of mechanised armoured columns.

His advice went unheeded and, in June , German forces easily overran France. As under-secretary of national defence and war, de Gaulle refused to accept the French government's truce with the Germans and escaped to London, where he announced the formation of a French government in exile. He became leader of the Free French.

After the liberation of Paris in August , de Gaulle was given a hero's welcome in the French capital.

Benito mussolini biography Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was born on November 23, , in the northern industrial city of Lille, France. His father, Henri, was a teacher of philosophy and mathematics and a veteran of the Franco-Prussian War (–71), in which Prussia (today known as Germany) humiliatingly defeated the French.

As president of the provisional government, he guided France through the writing of the constitution on which the Fourth Republic was based. However, when his desires for a strong presidency were ignored, he resigned. An attempt to transform the political scene with a new party failed, and in he withdrew into retirement again.

In , a revolt in French-held Algeria, combined with serious instability within France, destroyed the Fourth Republic.

De Gaulle returned to lead France once more. The French people approved a new constitution and voted de Gaulle president of the Fifth Republic. Strongly nationalistic, de Gaulle sought to strengthen his country financially and militarily.

Charles de gaulle short biography One of de Gaulle's grandsons, also named Charles de Gaulle, was a member of the European Parliament from to , his last tenure being for the far-right National Front. [] The younger Charles de Gaulle's move to the anti-Gaullist National Front was widely condemned by other family members.

He sanctioned the development of nuclear weapons, withdrew France from NATO and vetoed the entry of Britain into the Common Market. He also granted independence to Algeria in the face of strong opposition at home and from French settlers in Algeria.

In May , violent demonstrations by university students shook de Gaulle's government.

A general strike followed, paralysing France and jeopardising the Fifth Republic. De Gaulle held elections and the country rallied to him, ending the crisis. In April , De Gaulle resigned the presidency after losing a referendum on a reform proposal. He retired to his estate at Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises and died of a heart attack on 9 November