Charles De Gaulle

Deliberation is the work of many men. Action, of one alone.

— Charles De Gaulle

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

Old age is a shipwreck.

— Charles De Gaulle

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

Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence.

— Charles De Gaulle

France has lost a battle. But France has not lost the war.

— Charles De Gaulle

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

Church is the only place where someone speaks to me and I do not have to answer back.

— Charles De Gaulle

Nothing great will ever be achieved without great men, and men are great only if they are determined to be so.

— Charles De Gaulle

Diplomats are useful only in fair weather. As soon as it rains, they drown in every drop.

— Charles De Gaulle

For glory gives herself only to those who have always dreamed of her.

— Charles De Gaulle

The graveyards are full of indispensable men.

— Charles De Gaulle

In order to become the master, the politician poses as the servant.

— Charles De Gaulle

How can you govern a country with two hundred and forty six varieties of cheese?

— Charles De Gaulle

No country without an atom bomb could properly consider itself independent.

— Charles De Gaulle

I respect only those who resist me; but I cannot tolerate them.

— Charles De Gaulle

Since a politician never believes what he says, he is surprised when others believe him.

— Charles De Gaulle

I have come to the conclusion that politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.

— Charles De Gaulle

Silence is the ultimate weapon of power.

— Charles De Gaulle

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

Treaties are like roses and young girls -- they last while they last

— Charles De Gaulle

The sword is the axis of the world, and grandeur is indivisible.

— Charles De Gaulle