Discussion Questions

1. How did de Gaulle's childhood and family background shape his "certain idea of France"?

2. Was de Gaulle's decision to continue fighting in 1940 patriotic duty or personal ambition?

3. How did de Gaulle balance the need for Allied support with maintaining French independence?

4. Could the Fourth Republic have survived if de Gaulle had been more flexible in 1946?

5. Was Algerian independence inevitable, or could different policies have preserved French Algeria?

6. Did the Fifth Republic save French democracy or undermine it?

7. How did de Gaulle's foreign policy serve French interests versus personal vision?

8. Why did May 1968 catch de Gaulle by surprise, and could he have responded differently?

9. What aspects of Gaullism remain relevant to contemporary France?

10. How do different communities in France today view de Gaulle's legacy?

11. Can political leaders today learn from de Gaulle's example, or was he unique to his time?

12. How should democracies balance strong leadership with popular participation?

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