CHARLES DE GUALLE

• WSC loved France, devastated at its surrender, and even offered a union between Britain and France to keep them in the war. The French saw the British retreat after Dunkirk as a betrayal and untied under Charles de Gaulle who was a symbol of continuing French resistance. WSC admired de Gaulle's patriotism but found him difficult to work with and there were stormy meetings.
• De Gaulle saw himself as France's natural leader, but WSC did not accept that, and he was frustrated by his unwillingness to work with other French leaders such as Giraud who was favoured by the US. This became a major problem after the end of the North African campaign as he resented US cooperation with French authorities in Algeria and Tunisia who had been part of the French Vichy regime. The rivalry between de Gaulle and Giraud threated allied unity and caused tension at the Casablanca conference of 1943.