Charles de Gaulle - Wikiwand
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Prov...
www.wikiwand.comCharles de Gaulle led the Free French Forces during World War II. He founded the Fifth Republic and first president of postwar France, shaping French politics. He spurned the armistice with Germany in 1940, fled to London, and issued the Appeal of 18 June to maintain the struggle. After liberation, he headed the Provisional Government and reconstructed the institutions. He pushed for France’s independent stance, including seeking an autonomous deterrent. His impact shaped France’s postwar trajectory.