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Page 3
On the first page of his memoirs, DeGaulle makes himself much more understandable to me. "Instinctively I have the feeling that Providence has created her (France) either for complete successes of for exemplary misfortunes." and "In short, to my mind, France cannot be France without greatness." With these and other quotes, he shows that France was nearly his whole existence. This man could not do less than what he considered his best for his homeland.
Though he literally started from nothing, DeGaulle eventually built, co opted, or integrated various liberation movements into his organization, Free France. The Germans and Italians, of course, fought him. As I mentioned above, so did the British. The U.S. insisted on dealing with the Vichy government, even while looking for an alternate. We refused to consider the Free French in spite of the fact that they were the only organized faction available to us that was actually in combat against the Reich. The United States State Department seemed to be more interested in supporting the Socialist/Communists resistance groups, and Roosevelt seemed to prefer those who were in tight with the Vichy government, especially those who talked big and delivered nothing. DeGaulle persevered through five years of war. From a base of a few scattered colonial troops and an occasional soldier, sailor or airman who had escaped abroad, his forces on VE day consisted of a French Army made up of five infantry and three armoured divisions, plus all supporting troops. The Air Force included 500 fighting aircraft, plus support, and the Navy included seventeen capital ships, plus torpedo boats and auxiliaries. The Maquis was estimated at between 100,000 and 200,000. France had a seat at the peace negotiations because of DeGaulle. Far from a narrow focus that hindered the war effort, DeGaulle provided nearly half a million men to fight for the cause of the allies. After the war, DeGaulle was, like Churchill in England, no longer politically palatable. Though he tried to form a government that had a strong executive, he was not successful. Rather than be part of a return to the old "regime of parties," he resigned. So much for megalomania.
The copyright of the article Charles DeGaulle, Unappreciated Warrior. - Page 3 in Military is owned by Dennis Morehouse. Permission to republish Charles DeGaulle, Unappreciated Warrior. - Page 3 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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