Charles de Gaulle - Former President of France, Timeline and Family
Charles de Gaulle's Personal Details
Charles de Gaulle was a military leader and the 18th President of France
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birthday | November 22, 1890 |
| Died on | November 9, 1970 |
| Nationality | French |
| Famous | Leaders, Presidents, Military Leaders, Former President of France |
| Nick names | The Great Asparagus, Cyrano, Le Général, Le grand Charles, La Grande Zohra |
| Spouses | Yvonne de Gaulle |
| Siblings | Jaques de Gaulle, Marie-Agnes de Gaulle, Pierre de Gaulle, Xavier de Gaulle |
| Known as | Charles André Joseph Pierre Marie de Gaulle |
| Childrens | Anne de Gaulle, Élisabeth de Gaulle, Philippe de Gaulle |
| Universities |
|
| Founder / Co-Founder |
|
| Birth Place | Lille |
| Political Ideology | (1947–55) - Political party Rally of the French People, (1955–58) - National Centre of Social Republicans, (1958–68) - Union for the New Republic |
| Religion | Christianity, Catholicism |
| Height | 196 |
| Gender | Male |
| Father | Henri de Gaulle |
| Mother | Jeanne Maillot de Gaulle |
| Sun Sign | Scorpio |
| Born in | Lille |
| Famous as | Former President of France |
| Died at Age | 79 |
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Charles de Gaulle's photo
Who is Charles de Gaulle?
Charles de Gaulle is one of the most famous names of France’s political history, who is remembered by the masses even today. Right from his days at the military institution as a teenager, Charles proved his leadership abilities and showed the potential of being a great military leader of his country. He expressed his dislike towards the obsolete war techniques used by his country’s army during the early days as a soldier and even changed the strategy to keep any opposition at bay. The innovative technique he used was that of sneaking into enemy territory and gathering all the information that is being communicated amongst the members of the enemy military force. He also came into the limelight for opposing the French government’s idea of signing a peace treaty with the Nazi German forces. The great military leader even penned a book which analysed the loopholes and strengths of the German forces. His other written work talks about how exactly a military troop should be organized. Eventually, this great leader rose to the ranks of becoming the president of his country and served in this position for a period of eleven years. His life is an excellent example of leadership which inspires people even today
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Childhood & Early Life
Charles de Gaulle was one among the five children born to a teacher named Henri de Gaulle, on 22nd November, 1890. The place of his birth was a city named Lille, located in the north of France.
In 1909, Charles enrolled at a defence institution named ‘Saint Cyr’ in a bid to become a military leader.
He graduated from this esteemed institution in 1912 and was ranked 13th amongst the 210 cadets who had enrolled, for his outstanding performance as a cadet. Many of his seniors also felt that de Gaulle would be a great military leader who would make his nation really proud.
Career
Unlike most other cadets, Charles preferred working in France rather than relocate to another country. Thus, he became a part of the ‘33rd Infantry Regiment’ division of the French armed force and soon shifted base to the Arras region of France.
The French soldiers had to completely prepare themselves for World War-I at that time. Charles utilized his time to the best possible extent by interacting with senior officers at Arras and devising new methods to help them win the battle.
Charles, along with the other fellow soldiers of the ‘33rd Infantry Regiment’, were sent to the Belgian town of Dinant to keep the German army at bay. De Gaulle was severely hurt by a bullet wound during the battle.
He was infuriated by the French Commander, General Charles Lanrezac’s adoption of obsolete, predictable methods of fighting the war. Eventually the French army suffered heavy losses in terms of casualties and ammunitions.
Gaulle grabbed the attention of the military forces by his unique military strategy which he started using in early 1915. The smart soldier managed to cleverly extract information from the enemy territory by crawling into their land.
In 1916, while participating in the ‘Battle of Verdun’, he was cornered by enemies and attacked, which made him physically unfit to fight for the next 32 months. Charles then was detained by the German forces at a military camp.
Poland and Russia were involved in a war in the period 1919-21, during which Charles was one among the few members who were a part of the French Military Mission to Poland. He even tries guiding the Polish troops to success by serving as their chief instructor.
During the 1920’s, Charles was given the responsibility of commanding a light infantry battalion. He even travelled to Syria and Rhineland during this period on work-related assignments.
He was later promoted to the designation of lieutenant Colonel during the 1930’s and was stationed at France.
His way of managing the soldiers during this battle is one of the few highlights of World War-II, which the country is really proud of. By mid-1940, Charles was promoted to the designation of the Under-secretary of state for ‘National Defence and War’, by the country’s Prime Minister Paul Reynaud.
Reynaud soon stepped down and Marshal Petain succeeded him as the new Prime Minister of France. Petain had thought of entering into a treaty of friendship with Germany, which was then ruled by the Nazis.
Infuriated by this decision of the French Premier, de Gaulle and his other military colleagues rebelled against the new government. He then moved out of the country and formed the ‘Free French Forces’ army troupe, which consisted of many other French natives residing outside France, just like him.
Charles then founded the ‘Free French National’ in 1941 and even held the position of the president.
In the year 1945, elections were held in France to elect a new government, De Gaulle had garnered the support of French nationals during the time this contest was held. Several parties such as the Communists, socialists and the ‘Popular Republican Party’ had gained significant votes during the elections.
Although Charles was elected as the president of the nation, he resigned within a very short period of time owing to difference in opinions with the members of the Communist party.
In 1958, Charles returned to power and secured the title of being the ‘18th President of France’. One of the major tasks he undertook during this period was putting an end to the violence in the war-torn Algeria, which was a French colony. As per his orders, Algeria went on to become a free nation.
Charles had to step down from power in 1969 due to a revolt caused by the students, after serving for a period of eleven years.
Major Works
Charles de Gaulle was given the responsibility of handling the military division ‘4e division cuirassee’ in 1940, while World War-II was at its peak. Under the leadership of Charles, the troop managed to restrict the aggressive German forces to Caumont region of South-Eastern France.
Awards and Achievements
The military leader was awarded the ‘Grand Croix of the Legion d’Honneur’ in 1945 for proving his excellence as a military leader.
He was also honoured with the ‘Grand Cross of the Order of the Dragon of Annam’ and ‘Chief Commander of the US Legion of Merit’ awards in 1945.
The other honours he has received include the ‘Grand Cordon of the Order of the Two Rivers of Iraq’ and ‘Grand Collar of the Order of the Pahlavi of Iran’.
He has even received several medals such as the ‘Medal of Mexico’ and the ‘Medal of the Rancagua of Chile’.
Personal Life & Legacy
Charles tied the knot with Yvonne Vendroux on 7 April, 1921. The couple later became parents to three children named Elisabeth, Philippe and Anne. Unfortunately, Anne suffered from Down’s syndrome as a child and was later diagnosed with Pneumonia. She then succumbed to the disease at the raw age of 20.
Yvonne was an ardent catholic, who was disliked by a few sections of the French society due to her moral policing act. She raised her voice against pornography and even objected the use of short skirts in the country.
While he was detained by the German forces, Charles penned a book titled ‘The Enemy and the True Enemy’ in which he tried giving an insight of the way the German empire functions. This work was finally released in 1924.
Charles had penned a book named ‘Vers’ larmee de Metier’ in the year 1934, which spoke about how professionally organised an army is supposed to be.
Charles was quite closely connected with all his siblings, namely, Marie-Agnes, Xavier, Jacques and Pierre. He was quite emotionally attached to Pierre, the youngest of all the children, who even bore a striking resemblance to the French military leader.
This famous French military leader passed away on November 9, 1970; he was 80 years old at the time of his death. It’s said that Charles was watching television in the evening when he suddenly collapsed. Later, it was discovered that the rupture of one of his blood vessels was the cause of death.
Trivia
Although he collaborated with the allied forces, Charles de Gaulle had developed a bitter rivalry with the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, over the years. He even disliked the idea of France being a member of the ‘European Economic Committee’ since he felt America would interfere too much in the committee’s affairs.
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Charles de Gaulle's awards
| Year | Name | Award |
|---|---|---|
Other | ||
| 1915 | Croix de guerre 1939–1945 | |
| 0 | Royal Victorian Order | |
| 1965 | Order of the Elephant | |
| 0 | Order of the White Rose of Finland | |
| 0 | Order of the Dragon of Annam | |
| 0 | Royal Order of Cambodia | |
| 1960 | Royal Victorian Chain | |
| 0 | Order of the Royal House of Chakri | |
| 1920 | Silver Cross | |
| 0 | Order of Liberation | |
| 0 | 1963 - National Order of Merit | |
| 0 | Croix de guerre 1914–1918 | |
Charles de Gaulle biography timelines
- // 22nd Nov 1890Charles de Gaulle was one among the five children born to a teacher named Henri de Gaulle, on 22nd November, 1890. The place of his birth was a city named Lille, located in the north of France.
- // 1909In 1909, Charles enrolled at a defence institution named ‘Saint Cyr’ in a bid to become a military leader.
- // 1912He graduated from this esteemed institution in 1912 and was ranked 13th amongst the 210 cadets who had enrolled, for his outstanding performance as a cadet. Many of his seniors also felt that de Gaulle would be a great military leader who would make his nation really proud.
- // 1915Gaulle grabbed the attention of the military forces by his unique military strategy which he started using in early 1915. The smart soldier managed to cleverly extract information from the enemy territory by crawling into their land.
- // 1916In 1916, while participating in the ‘Battle of Verdun’, he was cornered by enemies and attacked, which made him physically unfit to fight for the next 32 months. Charles then was detained by the German forces at a military camp.
- // 1919 To 1921Poland and Russia were involved in a war in the period 1919-21, during which Charles was one among the few members who were a part of the French Military Mission to Poland. He even tries guiding the Polish troops to success by serving as their chief instructor.
- // 1920During the 1920’s, Charles was given the responsibility of commanding a light infantry battalion. He even travelled to Syria and Rhineland during this period on work-related assignments.
- // 7th Apr 1921Charles tied the knot with Yvonne Vendroux on 7 April, 1921. The couple later became parents to three children named Elisabeth, Philippe and Anne. Unfortunately, Anne suffered from Down’s syndrome as a child and was later diagnosed with Pneumonia. She then succumbed to the disease at the raw age of 20.
- // 1924While he was detained by the German forces, Charles penned a book titled ‘The Enemy and the True Enemy’ in which he tried giving an insight of the way the German empire functions. This work was finally released in 1924.
- // 1930He was later promoted to the designation of lieutenant Colonel during the 1930’s and was stationed at France.
- // 1934Charles had penned a book named ‘Vers’ larmee de Metier’ in the year 1934, which spoke about how professionally organised an army is supposed to be.
- // 1940His way of managing the soldiers during this battle is one of the few highlights of World War-II, which the country is really proud of. By mid-1940, Charles was promoted to the designation of the Under-secretary of state for ‘National Defence and War’, by the country’s Prime Minister Paul Reynaud.
- // 1940Charles de Gaulle was given the responsibility of handling the military division ‘4e division cuirassee’ in 1940, while World War-II was at its peak. Under the leadership of Charles, the troop managed to restrict the aggressive German forces to Caumont region of South-Eastern France.
- // 1941Charles then founded the ‘Free French National’ in 1941 and even held the position of the president.
- // 1945In the year 1945, elections were held in France to elect a new government, De Gaulle had garnered the support of French nationals during the time this contest was held. Several parties such as the Communists, socialists and the ‘Popular Republican Party’ had gained significant votes during the elections.
- // 1945The military leader was awarded the ‘Grand Croix of the Legion d’Honneur’ in 1945 for proving his excellence as a military leader.
- // 1945He was also honoured with the ‘Grand Cross of the Order of the Dragon of Annam’ and ‘Chief Commander of the US Legion of Merit’ awards in 1945.
- // 1958In 1958, Charles returned to power and secured the title of being the ‘18th President of France’. One of the major tasks he undertook during this period was putting an end to the violence in the war-torn Algeria, which was a French colony. As per his orders, Algeria went on to become a free nation.
- // 1969Charles had to step down from power in 1969 due to a revolt caused by the students, after serving for a period of eleven years.
- // 9th Nov 1970This famous French military leader passed away on November 9, 1970; he was 80 years old at the time of his death. It’s said that Charles was watching television in the evening when he suddenly collapsed. Later, it was discovered that the rupture of one of his blood vessels was the cause of death.
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Charles de Gaulle's FAQ
What is Charles de Gaulle birthday?
Charles de Gaulle was born at 1890-11-22
When was Charles de Gaulle died?
Charles de Gaulle was died at 1970-11-09
Where was Charles de Gaulle died?
Charles de Gaulle was died in Colombey-les-Deux-Églises
Which age was Charles de Gaulle died?
Charles de Gaulle was died at age 79
Where is Charles de Gaulle's birth place?
Charles de Gaulle was born in Lille
What is Charles de Gaulle nationalities?
Charles de Gaulle's nationalities is French
What is Charles de Gaulle nick names?
Charles de Gaulle's nickNames is The Great Asparagus, Cyrano, Le Général, Le grand Charles, La Grande Zohra
Who is Charles de Gaulle spouses?
Charles de Gaulle's spouses is Yvonne de Gaulle
Who is Charles de Gaulle siblings?
Charles de Gaulle's siblings is Jaques de Gaulle, Marie-Agnes de Gaulle, Pierre de Gaulle, Xavier de Gaulle
Who is Charles de Gaulle childrens?
Charles de Gaulle's childrens is Anne de Gaulle, Élisabeth de Gaulle, Philippe de Gaulle
What was Charles de Gaulle universities?
Charles de Gaulle studied at École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr, Collège Stanislas de Paris
Which company or organization was founded by Charles de Gaulle?
Charles de Gaulle was the founder/co-founder of Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, Free France, Rally of the French People, École nationale d'administration, Elf Aquitaine, French Community, CNES
What is Charles de Gaulle's political ideology?
Charles de Gaulle's political ideology is (1947–55) - Political party Rally of the French People, (1955–58) - National Centre of Social Republicans, (1958–68) - Union for the New Republic
What is Charles de Gaulle's religion?
Charles de Gaulle's religion is Christianity, Catholicism
How tall is Charles de Gaulle?
Charles de Gaulle's height is 196
Who is Charles de Gaulle's father?
Charles de Gaulle's father is Henri de Gaulle
Who is Charles de Gaulle's mother?
Charles de Gaulle's mother is Jeanne Maillot de Gaulle
What is Charles de Gaulle's sun sign?
Charles de Gaulle is Scorpio
How famous is Charles de Gaulle?
Charles de Gaulle is famouse as Former President of France