Charles De Gaulle: France's Bridge to the Future
Abstract
In 1945, the end of World War II found France laid low once again, much as she had been in 1815 after Waterloo, in 1871 after Sedan, and in 1918 after the Western Front. She had had enough -- her industry was in shambles, her agriculture destroyed, her infrastructure nearly nonexistent, her military weak and divided, and, perhaps most importantly, her spirit broken. Into this scene entered a man who refused to accept the inevitability of France's demise, who had a vision of a France that was new in texture, yet married to the ideals of nationalism and greatness tied to the France of old. That man, Charles de Gaulle, succeeded like few other statesmen have; he bridged the gap between the French concept of an imperial France that died in 1940 and the strong, confident France we know today. De Gaulle accomplished this reversal of national decline by a combination of iron will and diplomatic talent. It was the lessons of his life, especially of World War II combined with his love of France that gave direction to his extremism. The French were treated like second class allies throughout the war. To Charles de Gaulle, nothing was more important in 1945, and again in 1958, than the restoration of national self confidence. The statecraft of Charles de Gaulle has many lessons for strategists. Perhaps the most significant lesson is the importance of personal leadership and interpersonal relations in foreign affairs. A second lesson involves timing. Finally, and most importantly, de Gaulle's techniques teach us how to obtain our goals with a minimum of resources. He always started from a clear understanding of his objectives and an astute assessment of the inter-relationships of world affairs. He then advanced along a broad front, using every forum available. He kept his opponents effectively controlled by confusion and deception. They seldom knew exactly where he was headed, mainly because they could, or would, never understand why he was doing what he was doing.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 20, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA440720
Entities
People
- G. Roncolato
Organizations
- National War College