Charles De Gaulle

As an adolescent I was convinced that France would have to go through gigantic trials, that the interest of life consisted in one day rendering her some signal service and that I would have the occasion to do so.

Since a politician never believes what he says, he is quite surprised to be taken at his word.

I have tried to lift France out of the mud. But she will return to her errors and vomitings. I cannot prevent the French from being French.

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

One cannot govern with 'buts'.

Politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.

There can be no other criterion, no other standard than gold. Yes, gold which never changes, which can be shaped into ingots, bars, coins, which has no nationality and which is eternally and universally accepted as the unalterable fiduciary value par excellence.

Nothing builds authority up like silence, splendor of the strong and shelter of the weak.

When I want to know what France thinks, I ask myself.

Once upon a time there was an old country, wrapped up in habit and caution. We have to transform our old France into a new country and marry it to its time.

Whereas ordinary officers must be content with behaving correctly in front of their men, the great leaders have always carefully stage-managed their effects.

Hearing Mass is the ceremony I most favor during my travels. Church is the only place where someone speaks to me and I do not have to answer back.

There can be no prestige without mystery, for familiarity breeds contempt.

France has lost the battle but she has not lost the war.

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

Authority doesn't work without prestige, or prestige without distance.

How can anyone govern a nation that has two hundred and forty-six different kinds of cheese?

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

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

We may go to the moon, but that' s not very far. The greatest distance we have to cover still lies within us.

Faced with crisis, the man of character falls back upon himself.