de Gaulle, Charles AndréJoseph Marie

de Gaulle (də gōlʹ, gôlʹ), Charles André Joseph Marie. 1890-1970.

French general and politician. During World War II he gained enormous popularity as the leader of Free French forces in exile. Later, after years of self-imposed retirement, he emerged as the first president (1959-1969) of the Fifth Republic and led the country through its turbulent withdrawal from Algeria.

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