Editing Charles de Gaulle (section)

=== Division commander ===
{{Main|Saar Offensive|4th Armored Division (France, 1940)}}
At the outbreak of World War II, de Gaulle was put in command of the French [[Fifth Army (France)|Fifth Army]]'s tanks (five scattered battalions, largely equipped with [[Renault R35|R35 light tanks]]) under General [[Victor Bourret]] in Alsace. On 12 September 1939 he attacked at [[Bitche]], simultaneously with the [[Saar Offensive]].<ref>Lacouture 1991, pp. 149, 169</ref><ref name="Fenby-2010" />{{RP|118}}

At the start of October 1939, Reynaud asked for a staff posting under de Gaulle, but remained at his post as Minister of Finance. De Gaulle's tanks were inspected by [[Albert Lebrun|President Lebrun]], who was impressed, but regretted that it was too late to implement his ideas.<ref>Lacouture 1991, p. 170</ref> He wrote a paper ''L'Avènement de la force mécanique (The coming of the Armoured Force)'' which he sent to [[Alphonse Joseph Georges|General Georges]] (commander-in-chief on the northeast front – who was not especially impressed) and the politician [[Leon Blum]]. Daladier, Prime Minister at the time, was too busy to read it.<ref>Lacouture 1991, p. 171</ref>

In late February 1940, Reynaud told de Gaulle that he had been earmarked for command of an armoured division as soon as one became available.<ref>Lacouture 1991, pp. 174–5</ref> Early in 1940 (the exact date is uncertain), de Gaulle proposed to Reynaud that he be appointed Secretary-General of the War Council, which would in effect make him the government's military adviser. When Reynaud became prime minister in March, he was reliant on Daladier's backing, so the job went instead to the politician [[Paul Baudouin]].<ref>Lacouture 1991, p. 175</ref>
In late March, Reynaud told de Gaulle that he would be given command of the [[4e Division cuirassée|4th Armoured Division]], due to form by 15 May.<ref>Lacouture 1991, p. 177</ref> The government appeared likely to be restructured, as Daladier and [[Maurice Gamelin]] (commander-in-chief) were under attack in the aftermath of the [[Norwegian Campaign|Allied defeat in Norway]], and had this happened de Gaulle, who on 3 May, was still lobbying Reynaud for a restructuring of the control of the war, might well have joined the government.<ref name="Lacouture 1991, p178">Lacouture 1991, p. 178</ref> By 7 May he was assembling the staff of his new division.<ref name="Lacouture 1991, pp180-1">Lacouture 1991, pp. 180–1</ref>