A Moment Of Anachronism
I don’t like Charles de Gaulle. There, I’ve said it. I’m obviously continuing here my habit of writing blog posts with virtually no relation to current events (perhaps the cause of my low readership). But the reason for my dislike, and my current expression of it, is that in the course of reading for my thesis, I came across a ’70s book on international development, and learnt that after Guinea elected not to join his French Community in 1958, he didn’t simply respect the right of the Guineans to opt for sovereignty. Instead he severed all ties to the new country, and channeled French support and assistance to Guinea’s rivals and enemies in the region. He actively tried to cripple the new country.
I know it was a different age, but all the same, what a horrible and petty man!
Photograph of de Gaulle meeting the governor of Chad. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
