Gaullism and Realism

In the absence of General Henri Giraud, who was returning to North Africa via Canada and Britain, the Committee of Liberation in Algiers operated with notable unity. It cleaned house in the French military and naval hierarchy. This reform had been agreed upon by General Giraud and General Charles de Gaulle, but the tempo and tone of the reform were Gaullist, not Giraudist. The Committee:

> Ousted General Jean Marie Joseph Bergeret, who had been attached to the air force in West Africa. General Bergeret had been a negotiator of the Compiegne Armistice, Vichy Minister of Air, and Commander of the North African Air Force under General Giraud. He ranked after Marcel Peyrouton, Auguste Nogues and Pierre Boisson on the Gaullist black list of ex-collaborators.

> Removed from power General Rene Jacques Adolphe Prioux and Vice Admiral Frix Michelier, who had formerly been General Giraud's Army and Navy Chiefs of Staff. They, too, had been ardent supporters of the Petain regime.

> Drew up a list of "150 generals and 30 admirals" and decided on "immediate steps to withdraw their commands." This was a blow at the phalanx of officers who scurried from Occupied France to North Africa to save their privileges and pensions in Giraud's shadow.

An Answer. One week after the U.S. President had said "There is no France," De Gaulle spoke up. On the first Bastille Day celebrated in Algiers since 1939, the man who symbolizes French resistance declared:

"Certain great minds abroad have thought that the military actions of our forces could be separated from the feelings and determination of our people.... These 'realists' know nothing about realities. . . .

"Our country is united for war. But it is united also for its renovation. . . France is not a 'Sleeping Beauty' to be softly awakened by the Prince Charming of liberation. France is a captive who has once and for all gauged the causes of her misfortunes under the blows inflicted on her in the solitude of her cell. . . .

"Frenchmen wish their affairs to be arranged properly and they do not mean to emerge from the war only to plunge again into civil struggles. . . . When it comes to a fight between the people and the Bastille, it is always the Bastille that ends by being in the wrong."

More Unity

In Chungking, where Fighting France and Vichyfrance maintained separate diplomatic posts, the Vichyfrench last week proclaimed their allegiance to the Committee of Liberation at Algiers, turned over the French fleet in China waters (one gunboat) to the Fighting French.

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