War Memoirs: The Call to Honour 1940-1942; The Call to Honour 1940-4942 Documents; Unity 1942-1944; Unity 1942-1944 Documents.

First edition collection of this staple of modern French literature, inscribed by Charles de Gaulle to Clement Attlee, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Octavo, four volumes, original publisher's cloth, illustrated with photographs and maps throughout. The set includes: a first English edition of The Call to Honour 1940-1942 [London: Collins, 1955]. Association copy, inscribed by the author in the year of publication on the front free endpaper, "Au tres honourable M. Clement Attlee, en souvenir et avec les meilleurs vieux de C. de Gaulle, 6 November 1955"; a first English edition of The Call to Honour 1940-1942: Documents [London: Collins, 1955]; a first English edition of Unity 1942-1944 [London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1959]. Association copy, inscribed by the author in the year of publication, "Pour Lord Attlee en bien cordial et fidele souvenir, C. de Gaulle, 20.9.59"; a first English edition of Unity 1942-1944: Documents [London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1959]. Signed by the author on the front free endpaper in the year of publication, "C. de Gaulle, 20.9.59." Clement Attlee's personal bookplate to the front pastedown of each volume. Clement Attlee was the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the Second World War and was largely involved with governing the country during Churchill's absence. While the relationship between Prime Minister Churchill and French Free Forces leader de Gaulle was strained by distrust, Attlee and de Gaulle had a rapport near to mutual respect, if not personal warmth. Attlee said of the General, in his pragmatically humble style, "...He was damned awkward. He always had to assert himself. Partly his nature, I suppose. I think he's mellowed since but he was very angry at that time. But he's a good fellow. I've got a great admiration for him. And he's got a nice wit. I reviewed a book of his after the war. I said, 'General de Gaulle is a very good soldier and a very bad politician.' So he wrote back to me and said, 'I have come to the conclusion that politics are too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.' A good jest on his part..." (A Prime Minister Remembers). Near fine in very good to near fine dust jackets. Translated by Johnathan Griffin, Joyce Murchie, and Hamish Erskine. An exceptional association linking two great world leaders and allies.