charles de gaulle

noun

1. Charles An·dré Jo·seph Ma·rie [chahrlz ahn-drey joh-zuh f muh–ree; French sharl ahn–drey zhoh-zef ma–ree] /tʃɑrlz ˈɑn dreɪ ˈdʒoʊ zəf məˈri; French ʃarl ɑ̃ˈdreɪ ʒoʊˈzɛf maˈri/, 1890–1970, French general and statesman: president 1959–69.

noun

1. Charles (André Joseph Marie) (ʃarl). 1890–1970, French general and statesman. During World War II, he refused to accept Pétain’s armistice with Germany and founded the Free French movement in England (1940). He was head of the provisional governments (1944–46) and, as first president of the Fifth Republic (1959–69), he restored political and economic stability to France