Yvonne de gaulle biography sample
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I prefer to betray the electorate.
She coordinated their evacuation by small boat across the Channel, arriving in Falmouth, Cornwall, on June 22, 1940, before reuniting with her husband in London, where he had broadcast his famous appeal of June 18 calling for French resistance under the banner of the Free French Forces.[19][18]In London, Yvonne established a modest household for the family, initially in Kensington and later in Hampstead, providing essential domestic stability as Charles de Gaulle organized the nascent Free French movement from exile.
Promoted to captain, de Gaulle fought in one of the war's most deadly confrontations — the Battle of Verdun — in 1916. Historical accounts emphasize her role as a devoted partner whose endurance in exile contributed to the movement's cohesion during its precarious early phase.[9][21]
Experiences in Exile
Following Charles de Gaulle's departure for London on June 17, 1940, Yvonne de Gaulle, then in Carantec on Brittany's north coast with their children Philippe, Elisabeth, and Anne, organized an evacuation amid the advancing German forces.[19] The family departed France independently from Brest, arriving in Falmouth, Cornwall, on June 19, narrowly preceding a second British rescue mission dispatched by Prime Minister Winston Churchill at Charles de Gaulle's urging.[18][22] They promptly rejoined Charles in London, where he broadcast his June 18 appeal establishing the Free French Forces, though the family faced immediate challenges of displacement and uncertainty.[9]The de Gaulles initially settled in Petts Wood, Kent, near London, but as the German Blitz intensified from September 1940, Yvonne relocated with daughters Elisabeth and Anne to rural Shropshire to evade air raids, while Charles remained in the capital to lead resistance efforts.[18] Enduring rationing, blackouts, and the psychological strain of exile, Yvonne managed household logistics and family care, including special provisions for Anne, who had Down syndrome and required constant attention amid wartime scarcities.[9] Son Philippe, aged 20, enlisted in the Free French Naval Forces (FNFL) shortly after arrival, contributing to naval operations against Axis powers.[9]Yvonne supported the Free French by co-founding an aid committee that dispatched books, clothing, and other essentials to troops, bolstering morale in dispersed units.[6] Financial constraints persisted, as Charles received limited initial support from British authorities, forcing reliance on personal resources and modest allowances.[23] Despite isolation from France and tensions with Vichy collaborators who branded de Gaulle a traitor, Yvonne's steadfast domestic role sustained family unity, enabling Charles to focus on rallying expatriate French forces and coordinating with Allies.[9][24]Post-War Retreat
The Death of Anne de Gaulle
Anne de Gaulle, the youngest daughter of Yvonne and Charles de Gaulle, who had been born with Down syndrome on January 1, 1928, succumbed to bronchial pneumonia on February 6, 1948, at the family home in Colombey-les-Deux-Églises, shortly after her twentieth birthday.[9][25] Despite the devoted home care provided by Yvonne, who had rejected institutionalization and personally tended to Anne's needs throughout her life, the condition's associated health vulnerabilities proved insurmountable, as pneumonia was a common terminal complication for individuals with Down syndrome in that era given limited medical interventions.[26][27]Anne died in her father's arms, an event that profoundly affected the family during their post-war seclusion at La Boisserie.[27][26]Charles de Gaulle reportedly remarked at her bedside, "Maintenant, elle est comme les autres" ("Now she is like the others"), reflecting a stoic acceptance of her release from lifelong suffering, though the loss devastated Yvonne, who had centered much of her maternal role around Anne's care.[27] The brief graveside service underscored the family's private grief, with Anne buried in the Colombey-les-Deux-Églises cemetery alongside future family members.In the aftermath, Yvonne channeled her bereavement into establishing the Fondation Anne de Gaulle in 1953, a charitable organization dedicated to supporting children with disabilities, which became a enduring focus of her efforts and reflected her commitment to practical aid over public mourning.[9] This initiative marked a turning point in her post-war life, transforming personal tragedy into institutional legacy amid the family's retreat from political prominence.[9]The "Desert Years" and Family Resilience
Following Charles de Gaulle's resignation as head of the provisional government on January 20, 1946, the family withdrew to their home at La Boisserie in Colombey-les-Deux-Églises, initiating the "années du désert"—a 12-year span of political marginalization until his recall in May 1958.Witnesses such as Claude Mauriac, de Gaulle's press secretary, and Claude Guy, his military aide, recounted instances where she provided input on judicial cases during informal evening gatherings at the family's Neuilly residence, with the president occasionally soliciting or heeding her views.[44] Her influence extended to personnel decisions, as in 1962 when she learned that Élysée protocol chief Claude Mantel was a defrocked priest who had remarried; she distanced herself from him, prompting his dismissal by Charles de Gaulle.[44]As a staunch Catholic with conservative moral principles, Yvonne shaped the Élysée's atmosphere by advocating simplicity, opposing the appointment of divorced or adulterous officials, and arranging a private chapel upon their 1959 arrival.[45] She exerted notable sway on social policy, particularly convincing her initially resistant husband to back the Neuwirth Law legalizing contraception in December 1967, influenced by appeals from women's groups and her experiences raising their daughter Anne, who had Down syndrome.[42][45] This marked a pragmatic shift, aligning with her broader commitment to family welfare despite her traditionalism.During the May 1968 crisis, Yvonne's emotional distress—nearing collapse after a public confrontation while shopping—factored into Charles de Gaulle's abrupt departure to Baden-Baden on May 29 to secure military loyalty, leaving Prime Minister Georges Pompidou to handle Paris amid widespread protests and strikes.[46] Her role remained marginal overall, focused on personal and ethical guidance rather than policy formulation, as biographers note her defense against daily political interference while acknowledging occasional, non-negligible impacts.[47]
Later Life and Death
Retirement to Colombey-les-Deux-Églises
Following Charles de Gaulle's resignation as President of France on April 28, 1969, Yvonne de Gaulle accompanied her husband in retiring to their family home, La Boisserie, in Colombey-les-Deux-Églises, Haute-Marne.[2] The couple, who had originally purchased the property in 1934 as a rural retreat, spent their final months together there in relative seclusion, away from public life.[48]Charles de Gaulle died at La Boisserie on November 9, 1970, from a ruptured aneurysm, leaving Yvonne widowed at age 69.[49] She remained at the estate afterward, continuing a quiet existence marked by privacy and minimal public engagement, consistent with her lifelong preference for discretion over visibility.[2][50] Yvonne managed family matters from the home, including discussions on inheritance among her children and grandchildren, while preserving the site's integrity as a personal sanctuary rather than opening it to widespread tourism during her tenure.[51]Yvonne resided at La Boisserie until 1978, when declining health necessitated relocation to Paris for medical care.[2] A fall resulting in a broken hip required surgery, after which she did not return to Colombey.Erected to honor their shared legacy of patriotism and familyresilience, the monument depicts the de Gaulles gazing toward the horizon, symbolizing fortitude amid adversity; it was installed as part of efforts to preserve local historical ties to the family.[52][13]
Yvonne de Gaulle
POLITICIAN
1900 - 1979
Yvonne de Gaulle
Yvonne Charlotte Anne-Marie de Gaulle (French pronunciation: [ivɔn ʃaʁlɔt an maʁi də ɡol]; née Vendroux [vɑ̃dʁu]; 22 May 1900 – 8 November 1979) was the wife of Charles de Gaulle.
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.
Early on, he dreamed of being a military leader. He served as president from 1959 to 1969.
- World War II
- World Politics
- Military Academy of Saint-Cyr
- During his presidency, Charles de Gaulle sought to keep France separate from the two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union.
- De Gaulle wrote the military book, 'Vers l'armée de métier,' which was largely ignored by French military officials, but not by the Germans in World War II.
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- Article Title: Charles de Gaulle Biography
- Author: Biography.com Editors
- Website Name: The Biography.com website
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- Last Updated: April 7, 2021
- Original Published Date: April 2, 2014
- A true leader always keeps an element of surprise up his sleeve, which others cannot grasp but which keeps his public excited and breathless.
- Silence is the ultimate weapon of power.
- In politics it is necessary either to betray one's country or the electorate.
Establishing France's Fifth Republic, de Gaulle dedicated himself to improving the country's economic situation and maintaining its independence. 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.
Family life centered on simplicity, including regular attendance at Sunday Mass in the village church, where a pew was adapted for their use.[6][17][9]Yvonne's role emphasized quiet stewardship, prioritizing her children's upbringing and household order over public engagement, in line with her conservative Catholic values.
As a teenager in Calais, a key port under threat, she volunteered at the local military hospital, eventually serving as head nurse amid the German advance and bombardments of 1914–1918.[6] This exposure to wartime hardship and human suffering, in a city central to Allied logistics, instilled practical compassion and stoicism, influences evident in her later devotion to family and charitable causes despite personal trials.[12] Her upbringing in a prosperous industrial family—her father, Jacques Vendroux, led enterprises in shipbuilding and manufacturing—additionally fostered a grounded appreciation for stability and national endurance, unmarred by ideological experimentation.[9]
Marriage and Family
Courtship and Marriage to Charles de Gaulle
Yvonne Vendroux first encountered Charles de Gaulle, then a captain in the French Army, in October 1920 at a tea organized by mutual family friends in Calais, while he was on brief leave from his posting with the French military mission in Poland following World War I service.[9] Impressed by the 30-year-old officer's demeanor, the 20-year-old Vendroux confided to her family her determination to marry him, reportedly stating, "It will be he or no one," which facilitated their swift courtship.[9]The pair became officially engaged on November 11, 1920.[9] De Gaulle returned to Poland for two additional months of duty before assuming a teaching position at the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr near Paris in early 1921, allowing the couple to correspond and prepare for marriage amid his military obligations.[9]They wed in a civil ceremony on April 6, 1921, at Calais town hall, followed by a religious rite the next day, April 7, at the Notre-Dame Church in Calais.[9][13] The union, marked by de Gaulle's rising military career and Vendroux's Catholic upbringing from a prosperous local family, lasted 48 years until his death in 1970; the couple initially resided in a modest Paris apartment near Saint-Cyr.[9][14]Children and Domestic Challenges
Yvonne and Charles de Gaulle had three children: Philippe, born December 28, 1921 in Paris; Élisabeth, born in 1924; and Anne, born in 1928.[15][5] Philippe pursued a militarycareer, eventually becoming an admiral, while Élisabeth led a more private life.[15]The family's primary domestic challenge centered on Anne, who was born with Down syndrome, a condition that imposed substantial caregiving demands in an era when institutionalization was the prevailing recommendation for affected children.[5] Despite societal pressures and medical advice favoring separation, Charles and Yvonne rejected placing Anne in an institution, opting instead to integrate her fully into family life at home, where she received constant attention and affection.[16] Yvonne adopted a pragmatic approach to Anne's care, managing daily routines and health needs amid the limitations of contemporaneous treatments for developmental disabilities.[5]Anne's fragility persisted into adulthood; she contracted bronchial pneumonia and died on February 6, 1948, at age 20, in her father's arms.[9] This loss profoundly affected the family, though they channeled their grief into establishing the Fondation Anne de Gaulle in 1945 to support individuals with intellectual disabilities, reflecting their commitment to dignified home-based care over institutional alternatives.[16]Life at La Boisserie
La Boisserie, a modest 14-room country house in Colombey-les-Deux-Églises, Haute-Marne, was purchased by Charles and Yvonne de Gaulle in 1934 as a family retreat and renamed from its original designation as a former brasserie.He was temporarily appointed the brigadier general of the 4th Armored Division in May 1940. Originally lacking modern amenities like running water, the property underwent renovations, including the addition of a tower serving as Charles de Gaulle's private office, particularly after World War II. The surrounding 2-hectare park and gardens provided a serene environment, with Yvonne tending to flower beds as part of her affinity for rural life.
She died on 8 November 1979, Paris, France. De Gaulle's life as a devoted mother of three, including her care for daughter Anne with Down syndrome, further embodied resilient traditional family structures, influencing perceptions of the presidency as a moral bulwark.[42][2]Yvonne de Gaulle served as a discreet private counselor to her husband during his presidency from 1959 to 1969, offering advice on select matters amid her preference for avoiding public political engagement.