Voltaire (1694-1778): a French Enlightenment thinker in the 18th century, known as the "King of Thought" and "the best poet in France". Voltaire's real name was Fran?ois Marie Arouet, which was a pseudonym. Born into a wealthy middle-class family in Paris, he received a good education since childhood. Voltaire experienced the rule of Louis XIV, XV, and XVI, witnessed the rise and fall of feudal autocracy, and personally experienced the decadence and reactionary rule of feudal autocracy. As a young man, he was imprisoned in the Bastille twice for publishing works against the rule of the feudal aristocracy. After his release from prison in 1725, he lived in England for three years. He advocated the rule of an "enlightened monarch" and implemented a constitutional monarchy. Voltaire wrote many works. He opposed feudal autocracy and religious superstition, advocated the principle of freedom and equality, and advocated equality before the law. His major works include: "Philosophical Dictionary", "On the Customs and Spirits of Various Nationalities", "The Age of Louis XIV", etc. He also wrote "Orphans of China," a historical drama about China.
Rousseau (1712-1778): French Enlightenment thinker and philosopher. Born in Geneva into a family of watchmakers. Worked as a servant, secretary, tutor, scorekeeper. He advocated the establishment of a bourgeois democratic republic and believed that private ownership was the source of social oppression of the people, but he did not advocate the complete elimination of private ownership. His major works include "Theory of Social Contract" (old translation of "Theory of Civil Contract"), "On the Origin and Basis of Human Inequality", "Confessions", etc.
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821): French politician, military strategist, and the first emperor of France (1808-1814). Born in Ajaccio, Corsica. He graduated from the Ecole Militaire in Paris and served as a second lieutenant and artillery major. In the Battle of Toulon in 1793, he made outstanding achievements and was promoted to brigadier general. During the director's period, he led troops to attack Italy (1796) and Egypt (1798). 1799 165438+October coup, an executive government was established. Proclaimed emperor in 1804. The war with Russia failed in 1812 and the empire collapsed. Defeated at Waterloo. Exiled to the Atlantic island of St. Helena.
Hugo (1802-1885): one of the greatest writers in the history of French literature. Hugo was born on February 26, 1802 in Besan?on, France, to an officer family. He was talented and creative, and his literary career lasted half a century. Humanism is the main thread running through his works. Hugo comes from a family of military officers. When he was a child, he traveled to Italy and Spain with his father, and settled in Paris in 1814. When he was young, he embarked on the path of fighting for social progress. The novel "Notre Dame de Paris" published in 1831 shows the writer's strong anti-feudal and anti-church thoughts. When the "February Revolution" began in 1848, Hugo had become a staunch party member and was elected as a member of the Constituent Assembly, becoming the leader of the social democratic left in the French National Assembly. In 1851, Louis Bonaparte launched a coup. Hugo immediately issued a declaration to resist, but unfortunately failed. In February of the same year, Hugo was forced to flee to Brussels. During his 19 years of exile, Hugo always insisted on fighting and writing against the dictatorship of Napoleon III. Completed the novel "Les Miserables" in 1862. In 1870, the Second French Empire collapsed and Hugo returned to his homeland. In 1872 he completed his last novel "93". Died in Paris on May 22, 1885.
Hugo followed the pace of the times throughout his life and was an important writer in the history of French literature. It is particularly worth mentioning that in 1861, Hugo was filled with indignation when he learned that the British and French invaders had set fire to the Old Summer Palace. He wrote righteously: "The French Empire got half of the loot from this victory. Now it is as naive as if it is the real master, showing the glory of the Old Summer Palace. I hope that one day France can get rid of its burden and clear its guilt. , return this wealth to China that was plundered."
Picasso House Museum
Gaullist
Charles de Gaulle, the founder of the French Fifth Republic. who.
De Gaulle was the founder of the French Fifth Republic, a French soldier, writer, and politician. Born in Lille on October 22, 1890 165438+. Graduated from Saint-Cyr Army School in 1912. In 1913, he served under General Pétain with the rank of second lieutenant. During World War I, he fought at Verdun, was wounded three times and was captured. He was imprisoned for two years and eight months, and was commended three times in battle reports.
Betan was promoted to staff officer of the Supreme Combat Council in 1925 and served as a major in the troops that occupied the Rhine from 1927 to 1929. He served on the Rhine from 1936 to 1938. He also served two years in the Middle East before being promoted to lieutenant colonel and serving as a member of the Defense Council Secretariat for four years. During this period, he wrote books such as "Confrontation within the Enemy" (1924), "The Blade" (1932), "The Army of the Future" (1934), and "France and Her Army" (1938).
After the outbreak of World War II, he served as the commander of the tank brigade and the brigade commander of the 4th Armored Division in the French 5th Army in 1940. On June 6 of the same year, he was appointed deputy state secretary of the Ministry of National Defense. He advocated resisting the attack of Nazi Germany and refused to sign the armistice agreement between Germany and France. The Germans left Britain after occupying Paris.
On June 18, he delivered his first radio address to France in London, calling on his compatriots to continue the resistance under his leadership. On June 25, he founded and led the French National Council (later renamed the Free French Government and the French National Liberation Committee) to fight against German aggression. In 1943, he moved the headquarters of Free France from London to Algiers and became chairman of the French National Liberation Committee. Returned to Paris three days after the liberation of Paris on August 25, 1944. From August 1944 to August 1946, he served as Chairman of the Provisional Government and Minister of Defense. 1946 1 Resigned due to dissatisfaction with the left-wing coalition government formed by three political parties. The French Popular Alliance was founded in 1947. From 1949 to 12, he stood in opposition to the new constitution, blaming its provisions for making France repeat the mistakes of the Second World War and the political turmoil of the era. A formal political party was established in 1951, occupying 120 seats in parliament. Later, the party disintegrated in 1955 due to dissatisfaction with the decision of the parliamentary group to be linked to the parliamentary organization.
In 1955 and 1958, he retired from the countryside to write his memoirs and wrote three books: "Call of Honor", "Unity" and "Savior".
He became prime minister in June 1958 and proposed a new constitution to strengthen the presidential power and administrative power. A referendum was held on September 28, and the new constitution was approved with 78.5% of the votes and officially came into effect on October 4, 2010. Since then, the Fifth French Republic has replaced the Fourth French Republic, and France has transitioned from a parliamentary system to a de facto presidential system. In 1958, he was elected President of the Fifth Republic by universal suffrage, and in 1965 he was re-elected President. In 1966, France announced its complete withdrawal from NATO, but remained a member of the Atlantic Alliance. In April 1969, he failed in the regional reform and Senate reform referendums and was forced to resign. He returned to his hometown to continue writing his memoirs. 1970 165438+ died on October 9.
During his second term as president, he advocated "détente and cooperation" between East and West, and advocated trade and cultural exchanges with the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries. Recognized the People's Republic of China in 1964. He also advocated the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam and traveled to many countries to strengthen France's international position.