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What did Charles de Gaulle urge the French people to do in his June 18, 1940, radio appeal?
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Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle, 1967.
In his radio broadcast from London on June 18, 1940, Charles de Gaulle urged his compatriots to continue the war against Germany under his leadership.123
At the time, the French government under Marshal Philippe Pétain had decided to seek an armistice with the Germans following the military collapse of Metropolitan France. De Gaulle’s appeal served as the foundational call for the Free French movement, encouraging French citizens to resist capitulation and maintain the fight for their nation's sovereignty.123