The article is devoted to the analysis of the biography of the outstanding French political, state and military figure of the XX century General de Gaulle written by Russian historian Marina Arzakanyan. Special attention is paid to the two most successful periods in the life and work of the famous French General. First, it is his exceptional role during the Second World War. The second important period is represented by his activities as the President of France, marked by many significant achievements. One of them is the end of the colonial French war in Algeria. If at the beginning of the Second World War, de Gaulle managed to raise the French people to armed resistance against the occupants, then as the President, he, on the contrary, did everything to stop the bloody Algerian conflict and decided to "leave" Algeria.