Eisenhower - de Gaulle. From friendship to alliance in war and peace

On 1 June, an exhibition in the Perpignan corridor charts the shared destinies of Eisenhower and de Gaulle. This exhibition is the result of a collaboration between the Musée de l’Armée, the Fondation Charles de Gaulle and the Eisenhower Presidential Library. This event is also generously supported by The First Alliance, an American foundation.

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Charles de Gaulle and Dwight D. Eisenhower joined the most prestigious military academies in their respective countries after choosing to study for a career in the army. The destinies of these historic figures were intertwined in a number of ways, which the exhibition highlights as it tells the story of a political and human friendship.

The two officers met for the first time in June 1943 in Algiers, when de Gaulle undertook to form the French Committee of National Liberation. It was a challenging time for the Gaullist struggle, striving for legitimacy in the eyes of the Allied governments. But the generals paid no heed to that and got to know each other. Mutual respect and esteem blossomed, enabling them to liberate France and the Republic successfully. In June 1945, Charles de Gaulle personally presented Eisenhower with the Cross of the Companions of the Liberation.

The post-war era ushered in a new chapter in the relationship between de Gaulle and Eisenhower, as both of them were heads of state during the Cold War. Relations between the United States and France showed an unambiguous attachment to the western side.