Kayla May Batt

Annotated Bibliography

Introduction to Military History and Thought

Submitted to
Sébastien Campagna (Lcol)

January 29, 2025

Question

How did Charles de Gaulle’s leadership shape France’s national identity in the post-World War II

era?

Reason I chose this topic

Charles de Gaulle was a key figure in 20th century history, leading the Free French Forces

and restoring national pride, making him a fascinating subject to research. De Gaulle was a

unique personality who made important and controversial choices, such as refusing to accept the

Vichy government's collaboration. He also had a clear vision of France as a strong and

independent nation that he worked tirelessly to restore. However, his leadership style was and

still is a debatable topic, eliciting both admiration and criticism. Exploring this topic provides an

opportunity to analyze a controversial historical figure which allows me to take a stance on a

significant and disputed aspect of history.

Bibliography

Cook, Don. Charles de Gaulle. Open Road Media, 2023.

This is one of the first biographies on Charles de Gaulle from an American perspective,

examining his rise to power and leadership throughout his military and political career, his

complex relationship with power, and his impact on France's post-war identity. The book is

divided into three parts: "Preparation", which explores de Gaulle’s development into a soldier;

"Combat", which examines his military career; and "Power", which focuses on his political

ascent. This biography is highly relevant as it provides a comprehensive overview of de Gaulle’s

career, offering essential context for analyzing specific events to support my argument. Its

particular focus on leadership will also help me shape my thesis regarding his leadership style.
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Don Cook, an American journalist, was the former chief of the Los Angeles Times and

worked for the New York Herald Tribune, covering major historical events such as the aftermath

of World War II, the formation of NATO, and the evolution of the European Union. Beyond this

biography Cook authored several other books on history and international affairs, including

Floodtide in Europe (1963), The Warlords: Eisenhower (1976), and The Long Fuse: How

England Lost the American Colonies (1996).

Gaulle, Charles de. Le Fil de L’épée. Tempus Perrin, 2015.

This novel is introduced by Herve Gaymard highlights General de Gaulle's legacy and its

relevance to contemporary issues. The second part to the book is written by Charles de Gaulles

himself and is relevant to my research as it offers insights into his personal philosophy on

leadership, duty, and the role of military and political power. The book reflects de Gaulle's

thoughts on the responsibility of leaders making it a valuable resource for understanding his

leadership style, particularly during the liberation of France and his post-war political career.

Through this work, I can gain a deeper perspective on de Gaulle's views on France’s future and

the qualities he believed were essential for effective leadership.

Herve Gaymard the one who introduces Charles de Gaulle’s work is a French politician

who studied at the Paris Institutes for Political Studies. He is also a member of the French

Institute of international Affairs. Although, the part I will be really focusing on is what was

written by Charles de Gaulle who was educated at the prestigious École Spéciale Militaire de

Saint-Cyr where he trained as an officer before later attending the French War College. As an

author, de Gaulle wrote several notable works, including his memoirs, Mémoires de guerre,

which reflect his military and political experiences.

Hoffmann, Stanley. "De Gaulle as an Innovative Leader." French Politics and Society 8, no. 4

(Fall, 1990): 78. https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/de-gaulle-as-innovative-

leader/docview/1312028954/se-2.

This paper provides a thorough analysis of Charles de Gaulle's leadership style,

particularly his ability to innovate and adapt during crises, making it highly relevant to my

research. It examines how his strategic thinking and decisions influenced both the Free French

movement during World War II and France's post war reconstruction. By emphasizing his focus

on national sovereignty, military strategy, and political reforms, the article places his leadership

within broader historical contexts. I will use this source to support my argument by providing

specific examples of how de Gaulle's leadership shaped modern France and how his innovative

approach set him apart from other leaders of his time. Additionally, it sheds light on the long-

term impact of his policies.

Political scientist Stanley Hoffmann was a professor at Harvard University and earned his

doctorate from the Faculty of Law in Paris graduating as the best of his class. During the war he

was classified as Jewish alongside his mother, which forced them to flee to France in 1940,

giving him firsthand insight into the war's events. His perspective offers a unique and valuable

lens in this journal article, which I will use to evaluate Charles de Gaulle’s leadership. Hoffmann

was also awarded the Balzan Prize for his outstanding contributions to the field of political

science.

Roberts, Andrew. Leadership in War: Lessons from Those Who Made History. Penguin Random

House LLC, 2020.

This book examines several leadership philosophies through the lives of nine significant

historical personalities who all had the same goal of winning battles. The author looks at the

characteristics that helped great leaders thrive as well as those that caused them to be

unsuccessful. This is relevant to my research paper because it specifically discusses Charles de

Gaulle’s leadership during wartime and how his decisions shaped the outcome of France’s

liberation. I will use this text to analyze his leadership style, support my thesis as well as finding

out how other key figures, such as Churchill and Roosevelt, perceived him, as the novel provides

insight into their perspectives on de Gaulle.

Historian, journalist, and novelist Andrew Roberts studied at Gonville and Caius College,

Cambridge, where he graduated with a first-class honors Bachelor of Arts degree and later

earned a PhD in modern history. His notable works include Napoleon: A Life (2014) and

Churchill: Walking with Destiny (2018), both of which received widespread approval. He was

awarded the Wolfson History Prize in 2000 for excellence in historical writing, as well as the

British Army Military Book of the Year and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Biography.

Mr. Andrew is also a professor in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London.

Roussel, Eric. “De Gaulle : Histoire d’Un Géant.” www.youtube.com, July 15, 2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFxtJNIm08g.

This source will be highly relevant to my topic because it provides comprehensive

context and a detailed explanation of Charles de Gaulle's life before, during, and after World War

II. The documentary will serve as a valuable reference for contextualizing key events in my

research paper. It offers insights into de Gaulle’s leadership style, supported by visual clips and

recordings of his speeches, allowing me to better understand his influence and actions during this
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critical period in history. This resource enhances the depth of my analysis and will contribute to a

deep examination of his leadership.

Historian, journalist, and political scientist, Éric Roussel was one of the scriptwriters and

historical advisors for this documentary. He holds a Doctorate in Public Law with a

specialization in history, having received his education at the Paris-Pantheon-Assas University.

He has published numerous works, including a bibliography on Charles de Gaulle in 2002, which

earned him two prestigious French literary awards: Le prix du Mémorial and Le Grand prix

littéraire d'Ajaccio.
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Bibliography

Cook, Don. Charles de Gaulle. Open Road Media, 2023.

Gaulle, Charles de. Le Fil de L’épée. Tempus Perrin, 2015.

Hoffmann, Stanley. "De Gaulle as an Innovative Leader." French Politics and Society 8, no. 4

(Fall, 1990): 78. https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/de-gaulle-as-innovative-

leader/docview/1312028954/se-2.

Roberts, Andrew. Leadership in War: Lessons from Those Who Made History. Penguin Random

House LLC, 2020.

Roussel, Eric. “De Gaulle : Histoire d’Un Géant.” www.youtube.com, July 15, 2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFxtJNIm08g.