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hands. DeGaulle was very recalcitrant - didn't want to do it, stiffened up, and so forth. Giraud was also a proud man, but not so antagonistic. Giraud had said to Roosevelt - this was the President's report - “This is one of the things we hope to do for the American publicity.”

DeGaulle could not take a joke - I mean, he couldn't take anything like that, and the President had laughed at this and said - “That's right,” and tried to treat him like a human being. It was on that occasion that DeGaulle said to the President, “I am Joan of Arc. I am Joan of Arc!”

It wasn't at that moment, but in that interview, in that conversation with him before this, he had described what he was to France - I mean, the mystique of DeGaulle as DeGaulle saw himself came out. “I am Joan of Arc, I am Joan of Arc.” He regarded himself as the reincarnation. He was just carried away with this mystique.

That was why it was so hard to handle him here, later too when he came. I'll tell you about that later. This is all North Africa.

The President of course arrived unannounced in North Africa.

Q:

Some soldier looked out and said, “Jesus Christ, the President!”





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