[PDF] de gaulle algeria speech

Why did Charles de Gaulle say 'Je ai compris'?

Je vous ai compris! On 4 June 1958, wearing army uniform, Charles de Gaulle delivered a speech to a crowd in Algiers in which he famously proclaimed ‘Je vous ai compris’ [I understood you’]. With this ambivalent declaration, he sought to reassure everyone in the crowd. The ‘vous’ ostensibly referring to settlers, Algerians, and the military alike.

What did de Gaulle say when he returned to power?

Speaking in front of a large crowd in Algiers on June 4, 1958, a few days after his return to power, De Gaulle exclaimed a brief phrase: “Je vous ai compris!” – “I understood you”. He follows with: “I know what happened here. I see what you wanted to do. I see that the road you have opened in Algeria is that of renewal and fraternity… ”

When did de Gaulle arrive in Algiers?

Having crossed the political desert and overcome many obstacles, De Gaulle arrived in Algiers on June 4, 1958. He tries to reassure everyone (military, colonists, Algerians) by pronouncing his famous but incomprehensible “I understood you!” Incomprehensible because no one is able to really explain today what he meant.

Why did de Gaulle visit Constantine in 1959?

In February 1959, de Gaulle was elected president of the new Fifth Republic. He visited Constantine in October to announce a program to end the war and create an Algeria closely linked to France. De Gaulle's call on the rebel leaders to end hostilities and to participate in elections was met with adamant refusal.