Pierre Manenti is a historian of Gaullism and the Fifth Republic. He dedicated his latest book to the “barons of gaullism’ Gaston Palewski, Michel Debré, Jacques Chaban-Delmas, Roger Frey, Jacques Foccart and Olivier Guichard.
They were General de Gaulle's shadow men, both his closest advisors and his emissaries in all negotiations. They represent him, carry his word, and sometimes make him listen to reason, not hesitating to stand up to him.