James G
Squadron vice admiral
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Post by James G on Sept 10, 2020 16:13:28 GMT
I was reading about the rise of de Gaulle. It was all very lucky in terms of being in the right place at the right time.
If de Gaulle was captured/killed in the Battle of France, is there anyone else who could have done what he did in terms of becoming the leader of the Free French in the same manner?
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lordroel
Administrator
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Post by lordroel on Sept 10, 2020 17:03:26 GMT
I was reading about the rise of de Gaulle. It was all very lucky in terms of being in the right place at the right time. If de Gaulle was captured/killed in the Battle of France, is there anyone else who could have done what he did in terms of becoming the leader of the Free French in the same manner? What about Henri Giraud. |
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stevep
Fleet admiral
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Post by stevep on Sept 11, 2020 6:53:26 GMT
I was reading about the rise of de Gaulle. It was all very lucky in terms of being in the right place at the right time. If de Gaulle was captured/killed in the Battle of France, is there anyone else who could have done what he did in terms of becoming the leader of the Free French in the same manner? What about Henri Giraud.
Sounds like a possible candidate if he avoided his OTL capture and escaped, probably via Dunkirk.
Another alternative, although possibly too junior might be Philippe_Leclerc. Darlan was someone who was apparently supported by some in the US and if he had taken a different stance or even just avoided getting assassinated. Could have brought a lot of baggage with him if we're considering him not joining the allies until after Operation Torch. |
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archibald
Ensign
The PRC was standing on the edge of an abyss. And Mao said "let's make a Great Leap Forward"
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Post by archibald on Sept 11, 2020 8:06:04 GMT
George Mandel. Definitively. Churchill wanted him in London in June 1940. Being jewish however would made him a huge target of Vichy and nazi antisemit fanatics. And all their rancid BS theories - jewish bankers, jews plot to take over the world, that kind of stinking horse manure. Main problem was that too many french citizens would believe in that and Petain, it would prevail over Free France and Mandel.
Sickening, but that was the harsh reality of 1940.
Mandel had been at Clemenceau side in the dark days of 1917 and this greatly helped his case.
For the record Mandel stayed behind only to be assassinated by Vichy Milice son of bitches cowards in July 1944.
Giraud was a weird guy, really. Much like McArthur or Patton: a brave soldier but much too flawed a man for politics. After De Gaulle brushed him aside in 1944 he acknowledged he was not the right man for a political job.
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