#224 Charles de Gaulle

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Jan 5, 2022

Dive into the legacy of Charles de Gaulle, a leader shaped by resilience and unwavering resolve. Discover how his radio broadcasts turned him into a beacon of hope during WWII, and explore his tumultuous rivalry with Pétain that highlighted his commitment to military modernization. The podcast reveals the complex relationship he had with Churchill and showcases de Gaulle's belief in victory, emphasizing the importance of self-belief and adaptability in both leadership and personal endeavors.

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ADVICE

Certain Idea

Develop a "certain idea" for your business or life, just as de Gaulle had for France.
Prioritize this idea and relentlessly pursue it with unwavering tenacity.

INSIGHT

A Certain Idea

De Gaulle had a "certain idea of France."
Founders should similarly define their vision for their company and life.

ANECDOTE

Early Ambition

At age 15, Charles de Gaulle wrote an essay envisioning himself as a French general defeating Germany in 1930.
This early ambition foreshadowed his future role in World War II.

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Vers l'armée de métier

Charles de Gaulle

In 'Vers l'Armée de Métier', Charles de Gaulle proposed the creation of a highly mobile and professional army, emphasizing mechanized warfare and elite armored units. This vision was contrary to the prevailing French military doctrine of the time, which favored a conscript-based 'nation in arms' approach. De Gaulle's ideas were influential but initially met with resistance within French military circles.

DE GAULLE

Julian Jackson

Julian Jackson's biography of Charles de Gaulle offers a nuanced portrayal of the French leader, drawing on newly opened archives to reveal his conservative roots and his role in shaping modern France. The book explores de Gaulle's wartime leadership, his presidency, and his efforts to assert France's independence in the post-war era. It provides a detailed analysis of his relationships with other leaders and his impact on European politics.

The edge of the sword

Charles de Gaulle

Go Like Hell

A.J. Baime

Jones Allen

Go Like Hell by A.J. Baime tells the story of Henry Ford II's ambitious quest to conquer the 24 Hours of Le Mans, challenging Enzo Ferrari's dominance. The book chronicles the development of the Ford GT40 and the strategic partnership with Carroll Shelby, highlighting the technological innovations and human determination that defined this era of motorsport. The rivalry between Ford and Ferrari not only reshaped the racing world but also left a lasting impact on the automotive industry.

Beyond Possible

One Man, Fourteen Peaks, and the Mountaineering Achievement of a Lifetime

Nims Purja

In this spellbinding memoir, Nims Purja reveals the man behind the climbs, explaining how his early life in Nepal and training as a soldier in Britain’s elite Gurkha and SBS units allowed him to achieve a mountaineering mission few thought was attainable. The book is tied to the acclaimed Netflix documentary '14 Peaks' and highlights Purja’s leadership, integrity, and collaboration in achieving world-class climbing feats, including the first-ever winter ascent of Pakistan’s K2. It also delves into his personal journey, from his humble beginnings to his remarkable achievements, and inspires readers to push beyond their limits[1][3][4].

Poor Charlie's Almanack

The Essential Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger

Charles T. Munger

Peter D. Kaufman

Originally published in 2005, Poor Charlie's Almanack is a collection of eleven talks delivered by Charles T. Munger between 1986 and 2007. Edited by Peter D. Kaufman, this book draws on Munger's extensive knowledge across various fields to provide a framework for rational and rigorous approaches to life, learning, and decision-making. It is renowned for its sharp wit and rhetorical flair, making it an essential read for investors, entrepreneurs, and anyone seeking to enhance their wisdom and critical thinking skills.

Creative Selection

Inside Apple's Design Process During the Golden Age of Steve Jobs

Ken Kocienda

In 'Creative Selection,' Ken Kocienda offers a detailed look at Apple's software development process during his 15-year tenure at the company. The book focuses on the 'creative selection' process, a method of iterative development through continuous demos and feedback. Kocienda shares stories of his work on key products like the iPhone, iPad, and Safari web browser, and discusses the essential elements of innovation at Apple, including inspiration, collaboration, craft, diligence, decisiveness, taste, and empathy. The book provides insights into the working culture and decision-making processes under Steve Jobs' leadership.

The outsider

Colin Wilson

In 'The Outsider,' Colin Wilson examines the psyche of the Outsider through the lives and works of various literary and cultural figures such as Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre, Ernest Hemingway, Hermann Hesse, and Fyodor Dostoyevsky. The book delves into the Outsider's experience of dislocation and his struggle to find meaning and purpose in a world that seems devoid of it. Wilson argues that the Outsider is a metaphysical man who seeks a transcending meaning and purpose for human existence, often feeling isolated and disconnected from society. The book is both a study of the Outsider's predicament and an impassioned call for a new form of existentialism that could provide a satisfying and objective religious understanding of life.

The Splendid and the Vile

A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz

Erik Larson

The book chronicles the period from May 1940 to May 1941, highlighting Churchill's leadership during the Battle of Britain and the Blitz. It draws on diaries, archival documents, and once-secret intelligence reports to provide a vivid portrayal of Churchill's family, including his wife Clementine, their children, and his close advisers. The narrative delves into the personal and political challenges faced by Churchill as he navigated the critical early months of World War II, emphasizing his eloquence, courage, and perseverance in the face of unrelenting horror[1][2][4].

What I learned from reading Charles de Gaulle by Julian Jackson.

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[6:45] The Winston Churchill episode is #196 based on the book The Splendid and The Vile

[7:07] Don’t turn your back on he who will not accept defeat.

[7:54] The greatest founders in history have identified a series of ideas that are extremely important to them and they repeat these ideas over and over again. Repetition is persuasive.

[12:24] De Gaulle was a voice before he was a face.

[16:45] Whatever happens the flame of the French resistance must not be extinguished, and it will not be extinguished.

[19:15] De Gaulle spoke about the army the way Enzo Ferrari spoke of his cars. Founders #97 Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans

[23:30] Nothing dented his belief in victory.

[23:38] The victor is the one that wants victory most energetically.

[32:17] “Henry Singleton always tries to work out the best moves and maybe he doesn't like to talk too much because when you're playing a game, you don't tell anyone else what your strategy is.” —Claude Shannon

[32:51] A country (or a person, or a company) is defeated only when it has lost the will to fight.

[36:19] Excellence is the capacity to take pain.

[42:13] To be passive is to be defeated.

[48:18] Leadership is a solitary exersize of the will.

[53:23] “I don't want any messages saying 'I'm holding my position.' We're not holding a goddamned thing. We're advancing constantly and we're not interested in holding anything except the enemy's balls. We're going to hold him by his balls and we're going to kick him in the ass. We are going to kick the living shit out of him all the time. Our plan of operation is to advance and keep on advancing.” —General Patton

[53:45] That central is completely opposite of what the French* generals thought.

[54:34] Founders #208 In The Company of Giants

[59:15] The history of entrepreneurship is extremely clear about the need to be able to concentrate.

[1:00:38] All that matters is to survive. The rest is just words.

[1:04:55] He pushed himself to the limits and he expected the same from his men.

[1:05:53] All those who have done something valuable and durable have done so alone and in silence.

[1:07:07] Beyond Possible: One Man, Fourteen Peaks, and the Mountaineering Achievement of a Lifetime by Nims Purja

[1:14:31] What everyone seems to ignore is the incredible mixture of patience, of obstinate creativity, the dizzying succession of calculations, negotiations, conflicts, that we had to undertake in order to accomplish our enterprise.

[1:15:19] He really believed that giving up was treason. That you deserved death for giving up.

[1:20:12] Fortune cannot always be favorable to us.

[1:23:01] It was from this moment in his memoirs that DeGaulle starts to talk of himself in the third person. De Gaulle appears as a figure whom the narrator of the memoir watches.

[1:27:55] No question or discussion, we must go forward. Whoever stands still, falls behind.

[1:30:05] I have only one aim: to deliver France.

[1:41:10] The effective formula De Gaulle used was 1. Ruthlessness. 2. Brilliance. 3. Total clarity about what he wanted to achieve.

[1:45:36] Paris! Paris outraged! Paris broken! Paris martyred! But Paris liberated! Liberated by itself, liberated by its people with the help of the French armies, with the support and the help of all France, of the France that fights, of the only France, of the real France, of the eternal France!

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