Charles de Gaulle, a French leader that Japanese people should know about
1)
What is Charles de Gaulle, the former president of the heroic life and salvation of the country?
What is a true leader?
What are the necessary qualities?
Learning from historical figures and great men is very effective when thinking about these things.
2)
Japan has many historical leaders.
Many people can mention Nobunaga Oda, Ryoma Sakamoto and Isoroku Yamamoto.
This time, I would like to introduce Charles de Gaulle, the former president of France, who may not be very familiar to Japanese people.
3)
He is a beneficial person to think about what a leader is and what qualities are needed in an emergency.
He also provides essential suggestions for thinking about the problems facing Japan.
If you have ever travelled to Europe on holiday or business, when you hear the name Charles de Gaulle, you may also think of the name of a French airport.
4)
Outside France, he has a distinct reputation, but in France, he is regarded as a hero.
He is considered a great leader who saved France twice.
5)
First, let's take a brief look at de Gaulle's life.
Life of Charles de Gaulle
Childhood
Born in 1890 in Lille, France.
His father was a teacher, and he grew up in a wealthy family.
Influenced by his patriotic father, he strengthened his feelings for "Grande France".
From his childhood, he had lofty ideas and a strong-willed personality.
From this time on, he had a great writing talent.
6)
On the way to becoming a soldier
In 1909, he entered the Saint-Cyr military school and became a soldier.
During the First World War, he was taken prisoner in Germany.
He attempted five escapes, all of which failed. (Released at the end of the war)
Even after becoming a soldier, he was shunned by his superiors because of his outspokenness.
Before the Second World War, amid anti-war sentiment in France, he highlighted the dangers of the Maginot Line, a defensive line on the border with Germany.
7)
He also rejects the trench warfare characteristic of conventional warfare and argues for the need for mechanisation with tanks and aeroplanes as the main force. (Blitzkrieg)
The French government accepted none of these ideas then, but de Gaulle's claims were later proven correct.
Germany crossed the Maginot Line and attacked France, resulting in a crushing defeat.
As usual, mechanised warfare became the norm.
8)
Creation of Free France
In 1940, when the Second World War broke out, he was appointed Secretary of State for Defence.
That year, France was invaded and defeated by Germany.
De Gaulle called for all-out resistance, but the government withdrew to an armistice line. (At the time, few people supported the war of resistance).
Amid this, de Gaulle went to London alone and called for continued resistance.
Although an armistice with Germany was formally signed and his old boss, Pétain, set up a government in Vichy (which was equivalent to being allied with Germany), de Gaulle set up the National Committee of Free France and established an On the honour and pride of, they will continue to call for thorough resistance.
9)
The Vichy government condemned him to death for treason.
Although he held the temporary rank of major general, he fearlessly and sometimes arrogantly defended France's position and policies to everyone, including British Prime Minister Churchill.
He insisted on negotiating as an equal.
For this reason, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and American President Roosevelt seem to have hated him very much.
10)
National Salvation
As the war progressed, anti-war sentiment grew among the population and de Gaulle, who had been isolated, began to win supporters.
His speeches, using his literary talent, also had an impact, and he continued to attract attention.
Great Britain and the United States recognised Free France as a mere entity and did not treat it as a nation.
Even essential operations, such as the Normandy landings, were not announced in advance.
Despite his lack of political experience, he was highly dynamic and mentally strong and could work equally well with the heads of state of various countries.
(To ensure France's position as a victorious and first-class nation after the war, it was necessary to leave a record of the contributions made by the Free French Army).
11)
Faced with a fierce attack by the German army in the Alsace-Lorraine region, Free France was able to dissuade other countries from retreating, even when they were considering it, and was eventually able to repel the onslaught, resulting in a narrow victory in the battle.
With the United States entering the war, the tide gradually turned in the Allies' favour.
This led to the recapture of occupied Paris, where the Free French also made great strides.
In the end, France secured its position as a victorious nation and eventually became a permanent member of the Security Council after the war.
Even during the post-war turmoil, he refused asylum from the United States and rebuilt the order independently.
After the war, he became Prime Minister, but in 1946, disappointed by the return to pre-war collegial party politics, he suddenly resigned and retired.
12)
Algerian War
The war was followed by a series of ethnic self-determination and the independence of one colony after another.
In these circumstances, Algeria, a French colony for more than 100 years, and France, which could not allow it to become independent so quickly, were in a position to reject independence, and public opinion and politics were in turmoil.
As neighbouring countries gained independence, the independence movements in Algeria naturally intensified, and riots and terrorism broke out in various places.
13)
This led to the Algerian War.
In France, where party politics were rampant, a succession of prime ministers were appointed quickly due to factional politics, and no progress was made in resolving the issue, leading to widespread chaos.
The government needed a strong leader to take a firm stance towards a solution, and de Gaulle was the only one who could do that. Both supporters and opponents of independence said that de Gaulle was the long-awaited leader.
14)
Second national salvation
Ultimately, de Gaulle returned with special powers to restore order in Algeria, a six-month delegation of full powers to the government, and even the authority to amend the constitution.
By amending the constitution, he extended the president's powers and ran for president, winning a landslide victory.
In 1959, he became the first president of the Fifth Republic.
15)
Everything was entrusted to de Gaulle, who centralised power.
Faced with the tide of the times, he decided that Algeria's independence was inevitable and supported the moderation policy.
Of course, there was a strong opposition movement, but he did not back down.
Although he abandoned colonialism, he clarified his policy by choosing a course to preserve France's greatness and dignity through nuclear development and other measures.
16)
He managed to unite his opponents, achieve a ceasefire in the Algerian war and recognise independence.
After the coup subsided and a final referendum was held, Algerian independence was approved, and peace was restored.
There were more than 30 attempts on de Gaulle's life.
17)
Later years
He admits that he made mistakes in his judgement during the May Revolution of 1968, for example, by taking harsh measures to suppress the movement, which developed into a general strike, aggravating the situation.
In addition, during the franc crisis (the closure of the European exchange market), the country steadfastly refused to devalue the franc, leading to a significant outflow of francs.
In addition to withdrawing from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, Britain's arrogant attitude became more pronounced than ever, including blatantly anti-American speeches and the refusal to allow the European Community to join Britain.
Finally, in 1969, he was defeated in a referendum to strengthen the bureaucracy (weakening the parliamentary government) and resigned as president.
He died the following year in 1970.
18)
Charles de Gaulle's passion for France
His most outstanding achievement is that he helped France, which had temporarily surrendered to Germany, become a victorious nation and a permanent member of the Security Council.
In other words, he protected France's honour and prestige (from the French people's point of view).
19)
France would have been defeated if France had followed the Vichy government's ceasefire policy and sided with Germany.
After the war, France was placed under American military rule and may have become a puppet state.
I cannot help but marvel at the strength of his core and his sense of mission that he insisted on fighting for a strong France, even though he was isolated and helpless and condemned to death for treason by his homeland.
Although an ad hoc major general, he never hesitated to negotiate with the United States and Great Britain leaders. This is the essence of the target.
20)
Speeches and sentences that attract the public are also indispensable.
Below is a quote from the call to resistance. (Quoted from De Gaulle and Kenichi Sato)
A message to all the French.
France lost the battle. But France has not lost the war.
21)
A government that happened to be in power could have surrendered to its enemies, avoiding panic, forgetting honour and abandoning this country to slavery. But nothing is lost.
Nothing is lost because this war is a world war.
An army of great power in an accessible place has not yet surrendered. This army will one day crush the enemy. On that day, France must be on the winning side.
Its freedom and her greatness will be restored. That is my aim, my only aim.
That is why I recommend it to all the French. It doesn't matter where you are. Unite with me in the name of action, sacrifice and hope.
Our homeland is in peril. Let us all fight together to save it.
22)
A negative aspect of de Gaulle's reputation is the opinion that he was dictatorial.
It is Roosevelt and Churchill who criticise his stubbornness in sticking to what he has decided and his attitude of asserting himself, whoever he is.
23)
But when the Algerian war got out of hand, everyone in France wanted de Gaulle.
I decided that de Gaulle was the only one who could solve the problem, even if he concentrated his authority and became dictatorial.
24)
If you look at history, there aren't many people who have been able to become this kind of person.
It is inconceivable that he could have supported de Gaulle as a leader for many years under such terrible circumstances without a powerful feeling and firm conviction.
The reason de Gaulle has the necessary qualities of a leader, such as the ability to say the right words, negotiate, judge and act, is nothing less than the strength of his underlying emotions.
Without a strong will, in such a hopeless situation, we would be discouraged by the problems of diplomacy and strategy, that is, before we could demonstrate our abilities.
25)
Incidentally, de Gaulle also understood the war situation and diplomatic skills.
There is no such thing as a blind and irrational judgement as Japan made in the Second World War.
I would add that I understood the likelihood of winning, how to win, and what I did after looking at the post-war situation.
26)
What Charles de Gaulle makes me think about Japan
Charles de Gaulle and the history of France have many implications for Japan.
We can see a particular danger lurking in the current situation in Japan.
27)
In an emergency, anything can happen.
It should be recognised that treaties and agreements can be revoked or changed in interpretation.
The interests of each country change from moment to moment, depending on the situation in which they find themselves and the world around them.
28)
The Anglo-American situation around France changed, and de Gaulle's Free France and Vichy's Provisional Government were used depending on the situation. Their attitudes and statements changed repeatedly.
Of course, each country acts in its interests.
At the time, de Gaulle's Free France was a pawn of Britain and the United States for their interests.
29)
America's continued refusal to accept military government and post-war cooperation and insistence on restoring order and strengthening its defence capabilities is that the United States understands that agreements and treaties can easily be broken depending on the situation. He must have had a vital objective in mind.
When thinking about Japan, it may be dangerous to expect too much from the United States to protect Japan forever under the security treaty, at all times and under all circumstances.
30)
Weaknesses of party politics
Governments with a patchwork of political parties, as in France, tend to have short-lived cabinets, and essential decisions can be delayed.
Even in Japan, there was a period when short-lived cabinets came and went.
The result of getting lost and not making progress can also be seen in Japan.
31)
In an emergency, we cannot rule out the possibility that a fatal delay in judgment or lack of decision-making will be exposed in a tense situation.
As you can see from the United States and China, the situation in major countries is changing from what it was before.
I am curious how Japan will react when the world changes drastically.
This means that weak diplomacy and lack of determination can have fatal consequences.
32)
Fear of old age
In his later years, de Gaulle's speech and behaviour became less and less articulate.
He overcame difficulties by controlling the people's will and taking dictatorial action, but later, it became clear that he had gone too far.
Perhaps there was also arrogance.
His natural arrogance was honed until he finally challenged the people's will in a referendum and was defeated.
33)
The same can be said of de Gaulle's former boss, Pétain of the Vichy government, who surrendered to Germany.
Once hailed as a hero who saved the country, Pétain was over 80 during the Second World War.
He ignored de Gaulle's claims about the weakness of the Maginot Line and backed France into a corner.
34)
Even in Japan, there are cases where heroes who played an active role in decisive moments in history remain in politics for a long time, making anachronistic statements and confusing those around them.
Even the legendary Heihachiro Togo, who is still admired by many for his great victory at the Battle of the Sea of Japan during the Russo-Japanese War, lost his ability to analyse and make decisions calmly in his later years and was easily defeated during the Second World War. In the end, I was carried away by the naval faction.
The outcome of the war is well known.
We should all be aware of the danger that no matter how outstanding a person's abilities or achievements may be, they may become obsolete simply because of their reputation and achievements.
35)
What a leader needs in an emergency and what people want in an emergency
As I mentioned, I cannot shake off my concern about Japan's ability to respond to a crisis.
In regular times, people take democracy for granted.
Despite the challenges, it works.
36)
In France, this system did not work in an emergency.
The direction was unclear even in the Algerian war, and confusion persisted.
In a sense, it could be said to have become dysfunctional.
37)
What is remarkable is that the people, including the people, wanted de Gaulle to have an intense concentration of power.
In the end, the people's will was determined by a referendum, but the reaction up to that point had been very authoritarian.
Leaving aside the question of right and wrong, whether it's Hitler or de Gaulle, the call for a strong leader tends to become stronger in times of emergency or situations with a sense of stagnation. (even if sometimes dictatorial)
38)
People's thinking and values change significantly depending on the situation.
Shouldn't we always be aware that the collapse or decline of democracy is a real possibility?
39)
This time, I have written about the source of success as a leader in an emergency, based on the leader Charles de Gaulle, and the suggestions that can be drawn from the example of France.
There is no guarantee that Japan will not remain in peace for a long time.
Looking at history, we can see what kind of leaders are needed at such times.
Charles de Gaulle, a French leader that Japanese people should know about
https://skaughh.com/charles_de_gaulle/
How did Charles de Gaulle overcome difficulties and become a modern-day "saviour"?
https://book.asahi.com/jinbun/article/14390426
