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Charles de Gaulle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 22 November 1890 Lille, France |
| Died | 9 November 1970 Colomby les Deux Églises, France |
| Nationality | French |
| Political orientation | Imperialism Neocolonialism Gaullism |
| Political party | Union of Democrats for the Republic |
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (22 November 1890 – 9 November 1970) was a French military officer and politician who served as president of France from 1959 to 1969. De Gaulle is best known as leader of the French resistance to fascism during the Second World War and played a leading role in restoring bourgeois democracy in France. Postwar, de Gaulle became a central figure of the right and played a key role in forming the Fifth Republic.
As president, de Gaulle pursued an independent imperialist policy that often put France at odds with other imperialist powers whilst still aiming to maintain a colonial empire. Notably, de Gaulle withdrew France from the NATO Military Command Structure in 1966, developed independent French nuclear weapons, condemned U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, and condemned Israeli attacks on the Arab states.[1] During the 1960s, he created Françafrique, led by Jacques Foccart, in order to keep West Africa under French control.[2]
Presidency[edit | edit source]
De Gaulle designed the constitution of the Fifth Republic himself in 1958, making the presidency overly powerful and in full control over the areas he cared about such as foreign affairs. De Gaulle was a colonialist at heart, declaring in 1959 that “Indigenous people are not yet mature enough to govern themselves.” However, he was also pragmatic and realised that it was better to grant power to the colonies than be forced to lose them, allowing France to remain in control behind the scenes.[3]
There were several assassination attempts against De Gaulle during his presidency, including a 1965 plot with CIA involvement following De Gaulle's denunciation of the Vietnam War.[4]
Legacy[edit | edit source]
De Gaulle remains an influential figure over French politics even in death. His grandson, Pierre de Gaulle, blames the West for the Russo-Ukraine War and believes the French elite has betrayed his grandfather's nationalist principles with their subservience to the United States.[4]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ L. Leonidov (1979). The Great Soviet Encyclopedia: 'De Gaulle, Charles'.
- ↑ Jeremy Kuzmarov (2022-04-29). "This Man Pulled the Trigger, But Did the CIA and DGSE Put the Idea in His Head and the Gun in His Hand?" CovertAction Magazine. Archived from the original on 2024-11-16.
- ↑ Najete Michell and Paul Taylor (2023-09-13). "The lies and secrets of French imperialism" Socialist Action. Archived from the original on 2025-08-03.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Jeremy Kuzmarov (2023-01-11). "Grandson of Charles de Gaulle, an Old CIA Nemesis, Condemns West’s Policy in Ukraine" CovertAction Magazine. Archived from the original on 2025-09-06.