President of the Fifth Republic
The French government, known as the Fourth Republic, began to
crumble in the late 1950s, and de Gaulle once again returned to public
service to help his country. He helped form the country's next
government, becoming its president in January 1959. Establishing
France's Fifth Republic, de Gaulle dedicated himself to improving the
country's economic situation and maintaining its independence. He sought
to keep France separate from the two superpowers—the United States and
the Soviet Union. To show France's military relevance, de Gaulle
successfully campaigned for the country to press on with its nuclear
weapons program.
De Gaulle was not afraid to make controversial decisions. After
coping with uprisings in Algeria for years, he helped the French colony
achieve independence in 1962. This move was not widely popular at the
time. De Gaulle supported the idea of a united Europe, but he wanted
Europe to be free from the superpowers' influences. He fought to keep
Britain out of the European Economic Community because of its close ties
to the United States. In 1966, de Gaulle also pulled his country's
forces out of the North American Treaty Organization, acting again on
his concerns with the United States. To some, de Gaulle came off as
anti-American. Though he may have been, to some extent, his actions
seemed to truly reflected his deep nationalistic views.
Sometimes inflexible and intractable, de Gaulle nearly saw his
government toppled by student and worker protests in 1968. He managed to
restore order to the country, but left power soon after, following a
battle over political and economic reforms. In April 1969, de Gaulle
resigned from the presidency.
Death and Legacy
After his resignation, de Gaulle retired to his home in
Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises. He had little time to enjoy the quiet life of
this village, as he died of a heart attack on November 9, 1970. French
President George Pompidou, who had worked closely with de Gaulle before
succeeding him, delivered the terrible news to the public, saying
"General de Gaulle is dead.
France is a widow." France mourned the loss of its famous statesman and
military leader; the country had lost one of its greatest heroes—a hero
who had seen his people through war,
and proved to be instrumental in his country's recovery.
Other world leaders offered up words of praise for de Gaulle. Queen Elizabeth II
said that his "courage and tenacity in the allied cause during the dark
years of the Second World War will never be forgotten." Two American
presidents, Lyndon B. Johnson and Harry S. Truman, sent their condolences to the people of France, as well as to Soviet Premier Aleksei Kosygin. President Richard Nixon
was among the foreign dignitaries who attended a special service for de
Gaulle, held shortly after his death, at the Notre Dame Cathedral in
Paris.
Charles de Gaulle rose from French soldier in World War I to exiled
leader and, eventually, president of the Fifth Republic, a position he
held until 1969. De Gaulle's time as a commander in World War II would
later influence his political career, providing him with a tenacious
drive. His time as president was marked by the student and worker
uprisings in 1968, which he responded to with an appeal for civil order.
Early Military Career
The son of a philosophy and literature professor, famed
French leader Charles de Gaulle was born in 1890, into a patriotic and
devoutly Catholic family. De Gaulle was a well-educated and well-read
child. Early on, he dreamed of being a military leader. He enrolled at
the country's top military academy, Saint-Cyr, in 1909. In 1912, he
completed his studies and joined an infantry regiment that was commanded
by Colonel Philippe Pétain, serving as a lieutenant.
During World War I, de Gaulle distinguished himself on the
battlefield. He was wounded twice early on, and received a medal for his
service. Promoted to captain, de Gaulle fought in one of the war's most
deadly confrontations—the Battle of Verdun—in 1916. During the fight,
he was injured and, subsequently, taken prisoner. After several failed
escape attempts, de Gaulle was freed at the end of the war.
A bright and skilled soldier, de Gaulle enrolled in a special
training program at the École Supérieure de Guerre after the war. He
later worked with Pétain and served on France's Supreme War Council.
Gaining some international experience, de Gaulle spent time in Germany
and the Middle East.
Also an insightful writer, de Gaulle explored a number of military
issues in his books. He published his examination of Germany, La Discorde chez l'ennemi, in 1924. Another important book was Vers l'armée de métier
(1932), in which he made suggestions for creating a better army. This
critical work was largely ignored by French military officials, but not
by the Germans. According to some reports, the German military followed
some of de Gaulle's recommendations in World War II. He and his mentor,
Petain, had a falling out over another book, a military history piece
entitled La France et son armée (1938).
World War II
At the time fighting broke out between Germany and France, de
Gaulle was leading a tank brigade. He was temporarily appointed the
brigadier general of the 4th Armored Division in May of 1940. Continuing
to rise up professionally, de Gaulle became the undersecretary for
defense and war for French leader Paul Reynaud that June. A short while
later, Reynaud was replaced by Pétain. Pétain's new government,
sometimes called the Vichy government, worked out a deal with Germany to
avoid further bloodshed. The Vichy regime became infamous for
collaborating with the Nazis.
A dedicated nationalist, de Gaulle did not accept France's surrender
to Germany in 1940. He instead fled to England, where he became a leader
of the Free French movement, with the support of British prime minister
Winston Churchill.
From London, de Gaulle broadcast a message across the English Channel
to his countrymen, calling for them to resist the German occupation. He
also organized soldiers from French colonies to fight alongside the
allied troops.
De Gaulle sometimes irritated other allied leaders with his demands and perceived arrogance. American President Franklin D. Roosevelt reportedly could not stand him. In fact, at the war's end,
de Gaulle was purposely left out of the Yalta Conference, as Germany
negotiated its surrender. He did, however, secure his nation an
occupation zone in Germany and a seat on the United Nation's Security
Council. De Gaulle enjoyed wide support at home and, in 1945, became
president of France's provisional government. In a dispute over greater
power for the country's executive branch, de Gaulle resigned this post.
For several years, de Gaulle led his own political movement, "Rally
for the French People," which did not gain much momentum. He retired
from politics in 1953.
Churchill Forced Out of Politics
Churchill was devastated to have been forced out of politics. Although
he was still a member of Parliament, it just wasn't enough to keep such
an active man busy. Churchill went into depression and worried that his
political life was completely over.
It was during this time that Churchill learned to paint. It started as a
way for him to escape the doldrums, but like everything Churchill did,
he worked diligently to improve himself. Churchill continued to paint
for the rest of his life.
For nearly two years, Churchill was kept out of politics. Then, in July
1917, Churchill was invited back and given the position of Minister of
Munitions. In 1918, Churchill was given the position of Secretary of
State for War and Air, which put him in charge of bringing all the
British soldiers home.
A Decade in Politics and a Decade Out
The 1920s had its ups and downs for Churchill. In 1921, he was made the
Secretary of State for the Colonies but only a year later he lost his MP
seat while in the hospital with acute appendicitis.
Out of office for two years, Churchill found himself leaning again
toward the Conservative Party. In 1924, Churchill once again won a seat
as an MP, but this time with Conservative backing. Considering he had
just returned to the Conservative Party, Churchill was quite surprised
to be given the very important position of the Chancellor of the
Exchequer in the new Conservative government that same year. Churchill
held this position for nearly five years.
In addition to his political career, Churchill spent the 1920s writing his monumental, six-volume work on World War I called The World Crisis (1923-1931).
When the Labour Party won the national election in 1929, Churchill was
once again out of government. For ten years, Churchill held his MP seat,
but did not hold a major government position. However, this didn't slow
him down.
Churchill continued to write, finishing a number of books including his autobiography, My Early Life.
He continued to give speeches, many of them warning of Germany's
growing power. He also continued to paint and learned bricklaying.
By 1938, Churchill was speaking out openly against British Prime
Minister Neville Chamberlain's plan of appeasement with Nazi Germany.
When Nazi Germany attacked Poland, Churchill's fears had proved correct.
The public once again realized that Churchill had seen this coming.
After ten years out of the government, on September 3, 1939, just two
days after Nazi Germany attacked Poland, Churchill was asked to once
again become the First Lord of the Admiralty.
Churchill Leads Great Britain in WWII
When Nazi Germany attacked France on May 10, 1940, it was time for
Chamberlain to step down as Prime Minister. Appeasement hadn't worked;
it was time for action. The same day that Chamberlain resigned, King
George VI asked Churchill to become Prime Minister.
Just three days later, Churchill gave his "Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat" speech
in the House of Commons. This speech was just the first of many morale
boosting speeches made by Churchill to inspire the British to keep
fighting against a seemingly invincible enemy.
Churchill spurred himself and everyone around him to prepare for war. He
also actively courted the United States to join in the hostilities
against Nazi Germany. Also, despite Churchill's extreme dislike for the
communist Soviet Union, his pragmatic side realized he needed their
help.
By joining forces with both the United States and with the Soviet Union,
Churchill not only saved Britain, but helped save all of Europe from
the domination of Nazi Germany.
Falls Out of Power, Then Back in Again
Although Churchill was given credit for inspiring his nation to win
World War II, by the end of the war in Europe, many felt that he had
lost touch with the daily lives of the people. After suffering through
years of hardship, the public didn't want to go back to the hierarchical
society of pre-war Britain. They wanted change and equality.
On July 15, 1945, the election results from the national election came
in and the Labour Party had won. The following day, Churchill, age 70,
resigned as Prime Minister.
Churchill remained active. In 1946, he went on a lecture tour in the United States that included his very famous speech, "The Sinews of Peace,"
in which he warned of an "iron curtain" descending upon Europe.
Churchill also continued to make speeches in the House of Commons and to
relax at his home and paint.
Churchill also continued to write. He used this time to start his six-volume work, The Second World War (1948-1953).
Six years after resigning as Prime Minister, Churchill was again asked
to lead Britain. On October 26, 1951, Churchill began his second term as
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
During his second term as Prime Minister, Churchill focused on foreign
affairs because he was very worried about the atomic bomb. On June 23,
1953, Churchill suffered a severe stroke. Although the public wasn't
told about it, those close to Churchill thought he would have to resign.
Surprising everyone, Churchill recovered from the stroke and got back
to work.
On April 5, 1955, 80-year-old Winston Churchill resigned as Prime Minister due to failing health.
Retirement and Death
In his final retirement, Churchill continued to write, finishing his four-volume A History of the English Speaking Peoples (1956-1958). Churchill also continued to give speeches and to paint.
During his later years, Churchill earned three impressive awards. On
April 24, 1953, Churchill was made Knight of the Garter by Queen
Elizabeth II, making him Sir Winston Churchill. Later that same year,
Churchill was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Ten years later, on
April 9, 1963, U.S. President John F. Kennedy awarded Churchill with
honorary U.S. citizenship.
In June 1962, Churchill broke his hip after falling out of a his hotel
bed. On January 10, 1965, Churchill suffered a massive stroke. After
falling into a coma, he died on January 24, 1965 at age 90. Churchill
had remained a member of Parliament until a year before his death.
Historical Importance of Winston Churchill: Winston Churchill was
a legendary orator, a prolific writer, an earnest artist, and a
long-term British statesman. Yet Churchill, who twice served the as the
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, is best remembered as the
tenacious and forthright war leader that led his country against the
seemingly undefeatable Nazis during World War II.
Dates: November 30, 1874 -- January 24, 1965
Also Known As: Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill
Overview of Winston Churchill:
The Young Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill was born in 1874 at his grandfather's home, Blenheim
Palace in Marlborough, England. His father, Lord Randolph Churchill, was
a member of the British Parliament and his mother, Jennie Jerome, was
an American heiress. Six years after Winston's birth, his brother Jack
was born.
Since Churchill's parents traveled extensively and led busy social
lives, Churchill spent most of his younger years with his nanny,
Elizabeth Everest. It was Mrs. Everest that nurtured Churchill and cared
for him during his many childhood illnesses. Churchill stayed in touch
with her until her death in 1895.
At age eight, Churchill was sent off to boarding school. He was never an
excellent student but he was well liked and known as a bit of a
troublemaker. In 1887, 12-year-old Churchill was accepted to the
prestigious Harrow school, where he began studying military tactics.
After graduating from Harrow, Churchill was accepted into the Royal
Military College, Sandhurst in 1893. In December 1894, Churchill
graduated near the top of his class and was given a commission as a
cavalry officer.
Churchill, the Soldier and War Correspondent
After seven months of basic training, Churchill was given his first
leave. Instead of going home to relax, Churchill wanted to see action;
so he traveled to Cuba to watch Spanish troops put down a rebellion.
Churchill didn't go just as an interested soldier, he made plans to be a
war correspondent for London's The Daily Graphic. It was the beginning of a long writing career.
When his leave was up, Churchill traveled with his regiment to India.
Churchill also saw action in India when fighting Afghan tribes. This
time, again not just a soldier, Churchill wrote letters to London's The Daily Telegraph. From these experiences, Churchill also wrote his first book, The Story of the Malakand Field Force (1898).
Churchill then joined Lord Kitchener's expedition in the Sudan while also writing for The Morning Post. After seeing a lot of action in the Sudan, Churchill used his experiences to write The River War (1899).
Again wanting to be at the scene of the action, Churchill managed in 1899 to become the war correspondent for The Morning Post
during the Boer War in South Africa. Not only was Churchill shot at, he
was captured. After spending nearly a month as a prisoner of war,
Churchill managed to escape and miraculously made it to safety. He also
turned these experiences into a book - London to Ladysmith via Pretoria (1900).
Becoming a Politician
While fighting in all these wars, Churchill had decided that he wanted
to help make policy, not just follow it. So when 25-year-old Churchill
returned to England as both a famous author and a war hero, he was able
to successfully run for election as a member of Parliament (MP). This
was the start of Churchill's very long political career.
Churchill quickly became known for being outspoken and full of energy.
He gave speeches against tariffs and in support of social changes for
the poor. It soon became clear that he did not hold the beliefs of the
Conservative Party, so he switched to the Liberal Party in 1904.
In 1905, the Liberal Party won the national election and Churchill was
asked to become the Under-Secretary of State at the Colonial Office.
Churchill's dedication and efficiency earned him an excellent reputation
and he was quickly promoted. In 1908, he was made President of the
Board of Trade (a Cabinet position) and in 1910, Churchill was made Home
Secretary (a more important Cabinet position).
In October 1911, Churchill was made First Lord of the Admiralty, which
meant he was in charge of the British navy. Churchill, worried about
Germany's growing military strength, spent the next three years working
diligently to strengthen the British navy.
Family
Churchill was a very busy man. He was nearly continuously writing books,
articles, and speeches as well as holding important government
positions. However, he made time for romance when he met Clementine
Hozier in March 1908. The two were engaged on August 11 of that same
year and married just a month later on September 12, 1908.
Winston and Clementine had five children together and remained married until Winston's death at age 90.
Churchill and World War I
At first, when the war began in 1914, Churchill was praised for the work
he had done behind the scenes to prepare Britain for war. However,
things quickly started to go badly for Churchill.
Churchill had always been energetic, determined, and confident. Couple
these traits with the fact that Churchill liked to be part of the action
and you have Churchill trying to have his hands in all military
matters, not only those dealing with the navy. Many felt that Churchill
overstepped his position.
Then came the Dardanelles campaign. It was meant to be a combined naval
and infantry attack on the Dardanelles in Turkey, but when things went
badly for the British, Churchill was blamed for the whole thing.
Since both the public and officials turned against Churchill after the
Dardanelles disaster, Churchill was swiftly moved out of government.
