There’s no questioning the fact that a lot of history’s great military commanders were asses. But at least some of them were actually great military commanders. Charles de Gaulle was not, but he certainly was an ass.
While de Gaulle can be sited for realizing the importance of mechanized warfare and attempting to influence the French military to adopt changes that would certainly have served it better when it was invaded, his only field command during the Second World War occurred in May, 1940, when the tank brigade of the 5th French Army, which was under his command, pushed the Germans from Montcornet to Caumont. Beyond that, de Gaulle was little more than a figurehead for the rest of the war, though he certainly had absolutely no qualms about acting as if he were a genius among lesser men while in exile. Even his relationship with Eisenhower was one punctuated by arrogance and indifference.
The British National Archives has just released an account of a meeting between General de Gaulle and Captain Peter Lake that took place on the 18th of September, 1944. While most of you obviously know who de Gaulle was, Captain Lake’s name is most likely new to you. That would be because, unlike de Gaulle, Captain Lake was never made the face of the liberation of France to placate his ego even though Lake’s actions regarding it were notable.
For his service, Lake would receive the Military Cross and the Croix de Guerre. Having parachuted into occupied France in April of 1944, he trained members of the French Resistance during the run up to D-Day, and would continue to be active in training French special forces, as well as carrying out operations with them, until October of 1944.
That said, the following is a transcript of the conversation between the two…
“General de Gaulle: “Jean-Pierre, that’s a French name.”
Mr Lake: “My nom de guerre, mon general.”
Gen de Gaulle: “What are you doing here?”
Mr Lake: “I belong to the Inter-Allied Mission for Dordogne, and I am at the moment with Dordogne troops at Marennes, mon general.”
Gen de Gaulle: “But what are you doing here?”
Mr Lake: “I am training certain troops for special operations.”
Gen de Gaulle: “Our troops don’t need training. You have no business here.”
Mr Lake: “I obey the orders of my superiors.”
Gen de Gaulle: “You have no business here, I say. You have no right to exercise a command.”
Mr Lake: “Mon general, I exercise no command.”
Gen de Gaulle: “We don’t need you here. It only remains for you to leave. You too must go home. Return, return quickly. Au revoir.”
Lake should have slapped the silly son of a bitch, but thankfully he was far too gracious a man to even consider it. It’s a shame Patton wasn’t there. He would have pistol whipped him.
