De Gaulle refused fiercely entry into NATO, believing in independence under the dissuasive power of it's own nuclear weaponry. The rationale was also that by being both independent and a nuclear power, France would have a real say into to which countries to extend that nuclear "umbrella" outside of the "allied" sphere.

Like there where two Pétain (WW1 and Vichy), there are two De Gaulle, the fierce leader of WW2 and the reactionary repressor of May 1968.

But then, when in doubt he questioned his people, and the people said "no more", he retired - which is quite astounding really.

It's an important, and unusual, politician of the 2nd half of the 20th century. In my book, the way he handled Algeria's war to independence checks his overall balance as " fucking very bad guy" tho.

[It is only much, much later, under Sarkozy, that the French military command integrated into NATO. Pretty sure the old general is still spinning in his grave]. Hated the UN, too.