--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: General de Gaulle was a thoroughly bad…" description: "\"General de Gaulle was a thoroughly bad boy. The day he arrived, he thought he was Joan of Arc and the following day he insisted that he was Georges Cle..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd2/franklin-d-roosevelt-488_arcs_general-de-gaulle-was-a-thoroughly-bad-b_1187782.jpg" --- # General de Gaulle was a thoroughly bad boy. The day he… ![“General de Gaulle was a thoroughly bad boy. The day he arrived, he thought he was Joan of Arc and the following day he insisted that he was Georges Clemenceau.” quote by Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd2/franklin-d-roosevelt-488_arcs_general-de-gaulle-was-a-thoroughly-bad-b_1187782.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd2/franklin-d-roosevelt-488_arcs_general-de-gaulle-was-a-thoroughly-bad-b_1187782.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd2/franklin-d-roosevelt-488_arcs_general-de-gaulle-was-a-thoroughly-bad-b_1187782.jpg) > “General de Gaulle was a thoroughly bad boy. The day he arrived, he thought he was Joan of Arc and the following day he insisted that he was Georges Clemenceau.” [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Roosevelt humorously critiques de Gaulle's shifting self‑image, highlighting the absurdity of grandiose self‑identification. **In simple terms:** Leaders can overstate their roles, leading to ridicule. Key Takeaway Question leaders’ self‑portrayals critically. Themes leadership ego historical satire identity Mood skeptical amused Type historical satirical When to use this quote - political analysis - leadership training - media critique Key Concepts political psychology self‑perception historical narrative Questions to Reflect On - What does de Gaulle’s behavior reveal about power dynamics? - How does satire affect public perception of leaders? A Different Perspective Humor may obscure serious concerns about competence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arcs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arcs/) [Arrogance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogance/) [Bad boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-boy/) [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Following](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/following/) [Gaulle Thoroughly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gaulle-thoroughly-3510626/) [General Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/general-gaulle-2270121/) [Georges Clemenceau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/georges-clemenceau-3510628/) [Insisted Georges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insisted-georges-3510627/) [Joan Of Arc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joan-of-arc/) [Thought Joan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-joan-3510629/) ## Related quotes > [One survey found that ten percent of Americans thought Joan of Arc was Noah's wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/one-survey-found-that-ten-percent-of-americans-thought-joan-of-arc/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [“The Jackal was perfectly aware that in 1963 General de Gaulle was not only the President of France; he was also the most closely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-forsyth/the-jackal-was-perfectly-aware-that-in-1963-general-de-gaulle-was-not/) [Frederick Forsyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-forsyth/) > [General de Gaulle is again pictured in our newspapers, looking as usual like an embattled codfish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-townsend-warner/general-de-gaulle-is-again-pictured-in-our-newspapers-looking-as/) [Sylvia Townsend Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-townsend-warner/) > [France had a policy, initiated by General de Gaulle, of trying to turn Europe into what was then called a 'third force,' independent of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/france-had-a-policy-initiated-by-general-de-gaulle-of-trying-to-turn/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [What I do see, for instance, is that the French are not very happy with the ... I am happy but they are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-schmidt/what-i-do-see-for-instance-is-that-the-french-are-not-very-happy-with/) [Helmut Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-schmidt/) > [ “General \[De Gaulle\], you must not hate your friends more than you hate your enemies” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clementine-churchill/general-de-gaulle-you-must-not-hate-your-friends-more-than-you-hate/) [Clementine Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clementine-churchill/) > [Maybe some of my quest for success comes from Joan of Arc but theres no conscious part of Catholicism in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-van-ark/maybe-some-of-my-quest-for-success-comes-from-joan-of-arc-but-theres/) [Joan Van Ark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-van-ark/) > [I want to be the Joan of Arc of fashion. I want to be the link between the runway and the real woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carine-roitfeld/i-want-to-be-the-joan-of-arc-of-fashion-i-want-to-be-the-link-between/) [Carine Roitfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carine-roitfeld/) > [“some of the water you just drank passed through the kidneys of Socrates, Genghis Khan, and Joan of Arc. How”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/some-of-the-water-you-just-drank-passed-through-the-kidneys-of/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“Style is the answer to everything. A fresh way to approach a dull or dangerous thing To do a dull thing with style is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/style-is-the-answer-to-everything-a-fresh-way-to-approach-a-dull-or/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“Joan of Arc came back as a little girl in Japan, and her father told her to stop listening to her imaginary friends. Elvis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-thomas/joan-of-arc-came-back-as-a-little-girl-in-japan-and-her-father-told/) [Iain Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-thomas/) > [“It was exactly the sort of person, like Joan of Arc, who did know why women wore skirts, who was most justified in not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/it-was-exactly-the-sort-of-person-like-joan-of-arc-who-did-know-why/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [“Josiah became King of Judah at the age of eight. Joan of Arc led the French Army at nineteen. King Tut led all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-gober/josiah-became-king-of-judah-at-the-age-of-eight-joan-of-arc-led-the/) [Rebecca Gober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-gober/) > [Joan of Arc should be played as a "pain in the ass" and how do I know she was a "pain in the ass"?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-clurman/joan-of-arc-should-be-played-as-a-pain-in-the-ass-and-how-do-i-know/) [Harold Clurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-clurman/) > [“Nothing surprises me now," I tell him. I am stoic. I am Joan of Arc, with liver damage and an unused penis.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/nothing-surprises-me-now-i-tell-him-i-am-stoic-i-am-joan-of-arc-with/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) ## More by Franklin D. Roosevelt > [In a democratic nation, power must be linked with responsibility, and obliged to defend and justify itself within the framework of the general good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-a-democratic-nation-power-must-be-linked-with-responsibility-and/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [Inquisitiveness is the most useful talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/inquisitiveness-is-the-most-useful-talent/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > ['Peace on earth, good will toward men' - democracy must cling to that message. For it is my deep conviction that democracy cannot live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/peace-on-earth-good-will-toward-men-democracy-must-cling-to-that/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [I have seen war ... I hate war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/i-have-seen-war-i-hate-war/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [I have seen war. I have seen war on land and sea. I have seen blood running from the wounded. I have seen men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/i-have-seen-war-i-have-seen-war-on-land-and-sea-i-have-seen-blood/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [All of our people all over the country-except the pure-blooded Indians-are immigrants or descendants of immigrants, including even those who came over here on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/all-of-our-people-all-over-the-country-except-the-pure-blooded/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [They have given their sons to the military services. They have stoked the furnaces and hurried the factory wheels. They have made the planes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/they-have-given-their-sons-to-the-military-services-they-have-stoked/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [On the European Front the most important development of the past year has been the crushing offensive of the Great Armies of Russia...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/on-the-european-front-the-most-important-development-of-the-past-year/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [The core of our defense is the faith we have in the institutions we defend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/the-core-of-our-defense-is-the-faith-we-have-in-the-institutions-we/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [War is a contagion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/war-is-a-contagion/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [Labor Day symbolizes our determination to achieve an economic freedom for the average man which will give his political freedom realty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/labor-day-symbolizes-our-determination-to-achieve-an-economic-freedom/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [Too often in recent history liberal governments have been wrecked on rocks of loose fiscal policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/too-often-in-recent-history-liberal-governments-have-been-wrecked-on/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [The frontier of America is on the Rhine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/the-frontier-of-america-is-on-the-rhine/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/repetition-does-not-transform-a-lie-into-a-truth/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [The future lies with those wise political leaders who realize that the great public is interested more in Government than in politics. The growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/the-future-lies-with-those-wise-political-leaders-who-realize-that/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) [Explore all 521 Franklin D. Roosevelt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) ## More Arcs quotes > [It's a challenge to work a character's arc into a format in which you only have a very limited amount of time to grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginnifer-goodwin/it-s-a-challenge-to-work-a-character-s-arc-into-a-format-in-which-you/) [Ginnifer Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginnifer-goodwin/) > [Through the music I hope to give it an arc that gives it a greater sense of a journey through the set rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gotye/through-the-music-i-hope-to-give-it-an-arc-that-gives-it-a-greater/) [Gotye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gotye/) > [Because we grew up surrounded by big dramatic story arcs in books and movies, we think our lives are supposed to be filled with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/because-we-grew-up-surrounded-by-big-dramatic-story-arcs-in-books-and/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Joan of Arc should be played as a "pain in the ass" and how do I know she was a "pain in the ass"?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-clurman/joan-of-arc-should-be-played-as-a-pain-in-the-ass-and-how-do-i-know/) [Harold Clurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-clurman/) > [When in doubt, the rule of threes is a rule that plays well with all of storytelling. When describing a thing? No more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/when-in-doubt-the-rule-of-threes-is-a-rule-that-plays-well-with-all/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [Sanchez looked at me and we locked eyes a second too long. There was nothing I could do about it. The signal went out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/sanchez-looked-at-me-and-we-locked-eyes-a-second-too-long-there-was/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [When we are young, we spend much time and pains in filling our note-books with all definitions of Religion, Love, Poetry, Politics, Art, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/when-we-are-young-we-spend-much-time-and-pains-in-filling-our-note/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I suppose that, for me at least, the biggest difference betweenThe Gunslinger Born and the next two story arcs (The Long Road Home and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-furth/i-suppose-that-for-me-at-least-the-biggest-difference-betweenthe/) [Robin Furth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-furth/) > [We've got this arc of instability from North Africa to South Asia, and we have to pay close attention to it. And we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-ve-got-this-arc-of-instability-from-north-africa-to-south-asia-and/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I do not pretend to understand the moral universe; the arc is a long one. . . . But from what I see I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-parker/i-do-not-pretend-to-understand-the-moral-universe-the-arc-is-a-long/) [Theodore Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-parker/) > [I think every woman character, every female character, has her own arc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katheryn-winnick/i-think-every-woman-character-every-female-character-has-her-own-arc/) [Katheryn Winnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katheryn-winnick/) > [I am committed now to one thing: lyric sequences. 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I'd like to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/most-games-follow-a-real-railroad-plot-no-matter-what-you-want-you-re/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Arc, amplitude, and curvature sustain a similar relation to each other as time, motion, and velocity, or as volume, mass, and density.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-friedrich-gauss/arc-amplitude-and-curvature-sustain-a-similar-relation-to-each-other/) [Carl Friedrich Gauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-friedrich-gauss/) [Browse all 250 Arcs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arcs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "General de Gaulle was a thoroughly bad boy. The day he arrived, he thought he was Joan of Arc and the following day he insisted that he was Georges Clemenceau.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Franklin D. 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