Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

De Gaulle's first broadcast to France

18 June 1940

At 10pm on 18 June 1940, General Charles de Gaulle broadcast to German occupied France, and rallied the French Resistance to him in London. With Petain's government about to sign an armistice with Germany, de Gaulle refused to accept that the fight for his country was over; "Quoi qu'il arrive, la flamme de la résistance française ne doit pas s'éteindre et ne s'éteindra pas".

De Gaulle announced his intention to broadcast again the following evening. He was furious to discover that his historic broadcast had not been recorded, as Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ engineers with limited equipment had failed to recognise the importance of the speaker or of his speech. On the 22nd de Gaulle broadcast again, and repeated his message in a speech that was heard much more widely. This time it was recorded. De Gaulle was recognised by Churchill as "the leader of all Free Frenchmen, wherever they may be" and made many more broadcasts to France.

The Free French were given 5 minutes every day in which to broadcast to France, organising the resistance from afar. In addition the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ French Service broadcast the news in French as a counterbalance to Nazi propaganda. De Gaulle returned to France when it was liberated in 1944 and later became President of the Republic.

The speakers are; Alan Bullock, historian, and author, Asa Briggs, former Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ historian, and Donald McLachlan, biographer, and former leader writer with the Sunday Times. Audio accompanying the De Gaulle slideshow, remixed from, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4 programme The War of Words, first broadcast 29.10.1970.

World War 2 and the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

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