Question

Explain the two major ironies of de gaulles professional life

Answer 1

Charles de Gaulle was the leading French states man of the 20th century and his military career spanned during World War I until WWII. His political career occurred when there was a temporary retreat from public affairs, and during 1940s hardships about political stability.  He also advocated and aggressive and tactical approach to warfare.

Answer 2

• During World War I, de Gaulle earned distinction on the battlefield. He was wounded twice and received a medal for his acts of bravery. Promoted to captain, he fought in one of the war's bloodiest confrontations, the Battle of Verdun in 1916. During the fight, he was wounded and subsequently arrested.  After several failed escape attempts, de Gaulle was released at the end of the war.
• A fervent nationalist de Gaulle did not accept France's surrender to Germany during Pétain's rule. He fled to England, where he led the Free France movement, with the support of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.  From London, de Gaulle transmitted messages of support to his countrymen: "Speaking in full knowledge of the facts, I ask you to believe me when I say that the cause of France is not lost," he said. He also organized soldiers from the French colonies to fight alongside the Allied troops.   As a French leader, de Gaulle sometimes irritated other leaders allied with his requests and his arrogance. US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, for example, could not stand him.  Indeed, at the end of the war,  Gaulle was intentionally excluded from the Yalta Conference while Germany negotiated his surrender. He, however, secured his nation a stake in Germany's occupation zone and a seat on the United Nations Security Council.