Charles de Gaulle, leader of the Free French resistance in World War 11 and a dominant President in the years following, dialogues with Philippe Petain, Nazi-collaborator and head of the Vichy Government, later tried for treason, in a new London play. The Patriotic Traitor.
What is fascinating is De Gaulle’s chart, 22 Nov 1890 4am Lille, France since he had, like Hitler, the emblematic Neptune Pluto conjunction in Gemini of their generation in the 8th. Winston Churchill also had Neptune and Pluto in the 8th though not conjunct. The 8th house does have a mysterious quality of being able to project an aura and have a profound unseen influence on the masses, especially Pluto. All three war leaders in different ways were able to rouse the citizenry to fight for their country.
De Gaulle also had Mars Jupiter in Aquarius which has a crusading streak in trine to his Neptune Pluto. Winston Churchill had Mars Jupiter in Libra with Jupiter opposition his Neptune – so equally good at rousing enthusiasm.
De Gaulle’s Scorpio Sun fell in the France 10th conjunct the Fr Mars MC and his Mars Jupiter fell in the France 1st house. Similarly Winston Churchill’s Air sign Mars Jupiter fell in the UK’s 1st house – so both were crucial to keeping national morale high.
When war broke out De Gaulle’s Solar Arc Pluto Neptune were about to cross his MC into his 10th, with tr Pluto already there – so a time of increasing influence. Tr Uranus was just into his 8th with tr Saturn following behind so the war years were intense, upsetting and life-changing.
Neptune Pluto has a megalomaniac streak which is probably a necessity in war leaders. All three were difficult personalities and De Gaulle was certainly arrogant.
The other with Neptune Pluto in the 8th was King George VI, who although a self-effacing personality, stood rock solid throughout the 1940s.
Petain is less interesting, 24 April 1856 10.30pm Cauchy a La Tour, France, though he had a control/be controlled Sun Pluto in Taurus in his 5th; and a wobbly Saturn in Gemini square Jupiter Neptune in Pisces. He became Head of the Vichy Government on his Uranus Return when he was 84. He was convicted of treason, saved from the death penalty and died in prison aged 95.