User:Raul654/de gaulle

Assassinate attempts on Charles De Gaulle

Charles de Gaulle, leader of Free French Forces during World War II and later president of the French Fifth Republic, was an extremely controversial figure. Thirty-one known attempts were made to assassinate him.

April 21, 1943
At the time France was overrun, De Gaulle fled to England to lead Free French Forces. Over the next several years, he frequently publicly criticized his Allies, infuriating Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt.

On April 21, 1943, De Gaulle was scheduled to fly from in a Wellington Bomber from Hendon airfield to Scotland to inspect the Free French navy. On take-off, the bomber's tail dropped, and the plane nearly crashed into the airfield's embankment. Only the skill of pilot Peter Loat saved them.On inspection, it was found that plane's separator rod had been sabotaged, using acid. Loat was told that German saboteurs were responsible, but did not believe them. Military historian William Breuer agreed, noting that "Early in the war and during it, the British secret service had apprehended nearly every Nazi spy in Great Britain, and through these 'turned' agents, learned of the arrival of new spies in time to greet them when they landed. Morever, since the Hendon aircraft maintenance crew was a close-knit outfit, it would have been nearly impossible for a Nazi saboteur to even reach de Gaulle's Wellington."

British secret service investigated the incident, but no one was ever apprehended. "There seemed to be no doubt in Charles de Gaulle's mind who had tried to murder him." De Gaulle blamed the Western Allies, and later told colleagues that he no longer had confidence in them.