Nineteenth President of the Republic of France, from 1969 until his death in 1974. Born Georges Jean Raymond Pompidou in Montboudif, Cantal, France, he was the son of a schoolteacher and the grandson of a peasant. He graduated from the Ecole Normale Superieure with a degree in Literature, and began his career teaching literature. When World War II broke out, he joined the Army until the fall of France in June 1940, when he returned to teaching. In 1944, he served as an advisor to General Charles de Gaulle, then the head of the Provisional Government of the French Republic in exile during the German occupation of France. De Gaulle returned the provisional French government to France in mid-summer 1944 following the allied invasion in Normandy. In 1946, Pompidou was appointed to the Council of State, a judicial and advisory body to the French government, and, in 1954, he was hired by Charles de Gaulle to manage the Anne de Gaulle Foundation for Down's Syndrome (named for Charles de Gaulle's daughter, who suffered from the disease). When de Gaulle was named Premier in 1958, Pompidou became the director of the General's personal staff, and the following year, when de Gaulle became President of France, de Gaulle appointed Pompidou to the Constitutional Council. He served as Prime Minister under President Charles de Gaulle from April 1962 until July 1968. After de Gaulle's resignation as President of France in 1969, he was elected President, defeating Alain Poher. Although Pompidou was a member of the Union of Democrats for the Republic (also called the Gaullist party after its leader), he was considered more moderate than de Gaulle, instituting policies that de Gaulle had opposed. To help France's economy, he devalued the franc and instituted a price freeze. In foreign affairs, he tried to improve France's relations with other countries, and, in 1973, he allowed the United Kingdom to join the European Economic Community, something Charles de Gaulle strongly opposed. He died from Kahler's Disease (a form of cancer) in 1974, while still in office, shocking the French general public who was generally unprepared for his death.

Nineteenth President of the Republic of France, from 1969 until his death in 1974. Born Georges Jean Raymond Pompidou in Montboudif, Cantal, France, he was the son of a schoolteacher and the grandson of a peasant. He graduated from the Ecole Normale Superieure with a degree in Literature, and began his career teaching literature. When World War II broke out, he joined the Army until the fall of France in June 1940, when he returned to teaching. In 1944, he served as an advisor to General Charles de Gaulle, then the head of the Provisional Government of the French Republic in exile during the German occupation of France. De Gaulle returned the provisional French government to France in mid-summer 1944 following the allied invasion in Normandy. In 1946, Pompidou was appointed to the Council of State, a judicial and advisory body to the French government, and, in 1954, he was hired by Charles de Gaulle to manage the Anne de Gaulle Foundation for Down's Syndrome (named for Charles de Gaulle's daughter, who suffered from the disease). When de Gaulle was named Premier in 1958, Pompidou became the director of the General's personal staff, and the following year, when de Gaulle became President of France, de Gaulle appointed Pompidou to the Constitutional Council. He served as Prime Minister under President Charles de Gaulle from April 1962 until July 1968. After de Gaulle's resignation as President of France in 1969, he was elected President, defeating Alain Poher. Although Pompidou was a member of the Union of Democrats for the Republic (also called the Gaullist party after its leader), he was considered more moderate than de Gaulle, instituting policies that de Gaulle had opposed. To help France's economy, he devalued the franc and instituted a price freeze. In foreign affairs, he tried to improve France's relations with other countries, and, in 1973, he allowed the United Kingdom to join the European Economic Community, something Charles de Gaulle strongly opposed. He died from Kahler's Disease (a form of cancer) in 1974, while still in office, shocking the French general public who was generally unprepared for his death.