Word: debre
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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...every reason for weariness and despair. News of the insurrection in Algiers first reached him on Sunday at his country home in Colombey-les-deux-Eglises. When his black Citroën reached the capital shortly before midnight, De Gaulle was greeted by the proffered resignation of Premier Michel Debré, long privately opposed to De Gaulle's offer of self-determination to Algeria. Imperiously, De Gaulle refused Debré's resignation and fired off orders to General Maurice Challe, French commander in chief in Algeria. The orders: finish off the settlers' uprising "during this night...
...Uncommunicatively, he listened while one group of ministers headed by Novelist André (Man's Fate) Malraux called for "launching fire'' against the insurgents, and another led by Minister for the Sahara Jacques Soustelle urged negotiations. In the end, all that was decided was to send Debré to Algiers to scout out the situation. Said De Gaulle fatalistically: "This is either the best thing to do or the worst...
...mistake." Within 24 hours after Kempski's interview hit France, Massu was on his way to Paris to explain. From Algiers, spokesmen for the diehard European settlers' organizations loudly warned De Gaulle not to make them choose between him and the popular Massu; even Premier Michel Debré wanted to accept Massu's ambiguous repudiation of the interview. But at that point De Gaulle blew up. Outraged by the implication that the army had supported him only "for lack of a better man"-the one remark Massu wholeheartedly insisted he did not make-De Gaulle summarily ordered...
...government does not hesitate to take tough decisions. But last week, enmeshed in a showdown struggle with Antoine Pinay, the economic miracle worker of France's Fifth Republic, De Gaulle hesitated before the eyes of the whole world. Twice Pinay was summoned into conference with Premier Michel Debré, twice into discussions with President de Gaulle himself. At last, after a flurry of ambiguous communiques, came the laconic announcement that despite De Gaulle's "appreciation" of Pinay's successful economic policies, Pinay was through as Finance Minister. To replace him De Gaulle named Wilfrid Baumgartner, 57, longtime...
...when the tally was announced, Socialist. ex-Premier Guy Mollet, who was the first important leader of the left to rally to General de Gaulle 18 months ago, solemnly warned Premier Debré: "When great tasks-the Franco-African community, Algeria, international affairs-require the greatest national unity, you choose at that very moment to introduce the most terrible element of discord. You triumph, but I do not envy...