Edge of the Sword

by Charles de Gaulle

This book is not an attempt at a personal hero-story, and it is certainly not a piece of political propaganda. It is, above all, an amazing story of human fortitude and high adventure during the Korean War.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Politics, War, Memoir, Leadership, Military Fiction

128 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1932

About the author

Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II and later founded the French Fifth Republic and served as its first President. In France, he is commonly referred to as Général de Gaulle or simply Le Général.

Reviews

[Baptiste le Pirate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cet ouvrage est un ouvrage de doctrine militaire. Il s'attache d'abord à replacer l'importance de la force dans le mouvement de l'histoire et s'attaque ensuite aux difficultés et problèmes de l'armée française.

[Misha Filippov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book by (at that time colonel) de Gaulle. With historical introductions he shares his ideas about war and its place in civilization. He also discusses role of the army and how it should be organized. As in any other good book about military, some phrases are insightful e.g.: It is better to have a bad method than to have none. (Il vaut mieux avoir une méthode mauvaise plutôt que de n'en avoir aucune.)

[Billy McCoy · Rating 1 out of 5]

very short and uninteresting book!

[Jacob Davison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an extremely rare book with an interesting history, and I was lucky enough to find it in my university library. De Gaulle only sold around 1,200 copies with around 200-300 being purchased by high-ranking German military personnel who adopted many aspects from De Gaulle's proposed doctrine reformation with the Nazi invasion of France. It's important to read this in the context of post-World War I Europe. The organization of societies began to change with anti-war sentiment boiling against the idea of large militaries, which De Gaulle addresses in his own way. He also provides enlightening visions of what a true leader should resemble, primarily drawing from examples such as Napoleon while contrasting him to the incompetency of French leadership in the late 19th century. This is a great book for anyone studying leadership or military doctrine.

[Roberto Joanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chef D'ouvre. Period. De Gaulle was a real Hero and a real Man, whose personality and deeds last forever as a march of liberty. This short book is pure power of synsthesis with everlasting advices and strong stances. We are in age of intellectual arrogance, false moralism, pseudo victimism, and is good to connect with De Gaulle for understand the modern times and become wiser in face of difficulties and uncertainty. Merci Beacoup General!

[Ed McDermott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is out of print and very hard to find, I found it at a University Library. I was skeptical at first, but it is really great in discussing war and leadership. I'm really glad I learned about from another book that quoted it several times, a real gem for leadership study.

[Baptiste Briet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ouvrage publié en 1932, dans lequel De Gaulle expose ses visions de l'histoire, de la guerre et de ce que doit être un bon chef militaire. De Gaulle espérer que son ouvrage inciterait l'armée française à moderniser son enseignement, en encourageant et développant chez les jeunes officiers l'instinct, l'esprit d'initiative ou encore l'autorité. Le président américain Richard Nixon, seul président américain francophile après la Seconde Guerre mondiale, qui appréciait beaucoup l'œuvre de De Gaulle, demanda à faire traduire l'ouvrage une fois arrivé à la Maison-Blanche, et en fit son livre de chevet.
J'ai retenu deux citations qui m'ont parus correcte :
*"l'argent étant, pour le moment, le signe apparent de la puissance et les Français nourrissant volontiers la conviction que des lois et ententes internationales parviendront à empêcher la guerre" De gaulle chapitre de l'action à la guerre.
*"et avant que l'éternelle histoire se mêle à l'éternel oubli..." fil de l épée présentation de H. Gaymard

[Soufiane Chahid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Le colonel Charles de Gaulle a un style élégant et des idées. Dans ce court essai militaire écrit durant l’entre deux-guerres, celui qui deviendra président de la république appelle à une nouvelle réflexion sur la doctrine militaire française. Prémonitoire à la débâcle de l’armée française en 1940 ? Probablement. Charles de Gaulle y décrit aussi la personnalité du chef, c’est-à-dire lui dans quelques années. Le colonel rend un hommage appuyé au génie militaire de celui qui va renverser le cours de la première guerre mondiale, loin d’imaginer que cette même personne deviendra son adversaire durant la seconde guerre : Le général Pétain.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a... different read. It's historical fiction and was entertaining enough to keep me reading.