History does not teach fatalism. There are moments when the will of a handful of free men breaks through determinism and opens up new roads.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Freedom
How can anyone govern a nation that has 246 different kinds of cheese?
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Teamwork, Government
I have come to the conclusion that politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Science, Politics, Imagination, Politicians, Marriage
France has lost the battle but she has not lost the war
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Battle
For glory gives herself only to those who have always dreamed of her.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Glory
Diplomats are useful only in fair weather. As soon as it rains they drown in every drop.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Weather, Diplomacy
Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Authority, Control, One liners
In politics it is necessary either to betray one’s country or the electorate. I prefer to betray the electorate.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Betrayal
How can one conceive of a one-party system in a country that has over two hundred varieties of cheese?
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Government
Deliberation is the work of many men. Action, of one alone.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Action
Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Patriotism
Faced with crisis, the man of character falls back on himself. He imposes his own stamp of action, takes responsibility for it, makes it his own.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Character, Confidence, Self-reliance, Crises
To govern is always to choose among disadvantages.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: One liners, Government
A man of character finds a special attractiveness in difficulty, since it is only by coming to grips with difficulty that he can realize his potentialities.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Character
Church is the only place where someone speaks to me and I do not have to answer back.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Religion, Churches
In the tumult of men and events, solitude was my temptation; now it is my friend. What other satisfaction can be sought once you have confronted History?
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Solitude
Since a politician never believes what he says, he is surprised when others believe him.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Politics, Politicians
No nation has friends only interests
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Nation
Authority doesn’t work without prestige, or prestige without distance.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Authority
The great leaders have always stage-managed their effects.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Leadership
One must wait until the evening to see how splendid the day was; one cannot judge life until death.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Death
The graveyards are full of indispensable men.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Humility
In order to become the master, the politician poses as the servant.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Excellence, Mastery
Nothing more enhances authority than silence. It is the crowning virtue of the strong, the refuge of the weak, the modesty of the proud, the pride of the humble, the prudence of the wise, and the sense of fools.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Authority, Silence
I grew up to always respect authority and respect those in charge.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Authority, Control
When I am right, I get angry. Churchill gets angry when he is wrong. So we were often angry at each other.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Anger
Every man of action has a strong dose of egoism, pride, hardness, and cunning. But all those things will be regarded as high qualities if he can make them the means to achieve great ends.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Action
The sword is the axis of the world, and grandeur is indivisible.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: World
France has lost a battle. But France has not lost the war.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: Conflict
No country without an atom bomb could properly consider itself independent.
—Charles de Gaulle
Topics: War
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