" The last word is said ? The hope must she go away ? The defeat is final ? "It is about 18 hours when the voice of a quasi-unknown, general de Gaulle crossed the Channel to speak to these French that he left the day before, the same day on which, by the way, radio also, the maréchal Pétain their announced that it had asked the German conditions for an armistice. Eternal rebel, Charles de Gaulle has just crossed the Rubicon on this 18th of June 1940, by launching its call from the studio 4B of the BBC. Become the "general micro" to his detractors, he " enters the game ", that of free France.

His decision to take the word flows logically from another decision taken in the night from 16 to 17 June by the one who is still under-secretary of State for War : leave Bordeaux, where had taken refuge the French government headed by Petain. As soon as he sets foot in the English capital, it seeks to Winston Churchill, the british Prime minister, the authorisation to use the radio to get to know his fellow countrymen. Seduced by this immense figure who " had carried off with him the honour of France ", He grants it without hesitation. But if this choice was taken with the resolution closes, its practical application and on-air met with multiple obstacles thrown up by the English and was much more chaotic than the legend gaulle will not want to do that increment. The intrusion of the French general unknown was not to the liking of the war Cabinet, who tried by all means to prevent a speech that could cause harm to England. If, by this appeal, de Gaulle became the symbol of the free man, he had also that day back on his freedom. But well supported by a few allies already in place, he continued to make his voice heard this obstinacy with which he urged him-even the French. "Whatever happens, the flame of French resistance must not be extinguished and will not turn off. "

Lizzie presents " the appeal of 18 June ", extract of the Major Decisions in the history of France, under the direction of Patrice Gueniffey and François-Guillaume Lorrain, read by Francis Hatt. Find from the 4 January at your local library the audio book in full including 20 major decisions, and discover all the catalogue of Lizzie on the site Lisez.com

Read our dossier : response to the crisis, De Gaulle.