General de Gaulle gets an iPhone app
App traces key events in history of occupied France as commemorations begin for 70th anniversary of resistance call
THE 70th anniversary of General de Gaulle's call to the French Resistance is being celebrated in a modern way today - with the launch of an iPhone application.
The Fondation Charles de Gaulle has unveiled the app as commemorations get underway to mark 70 years since the leader's call from London for the people of France to resist Nazi occupation.
On June 18 1940, as the French government prepared to sign an armistice with the Nazis, de Gaulle broadcast on the BBC to France, telling French citizens: "The flame of French Resistance must not and will not be extinguished."
Two web developers, BulkyPix and Vinteuil, have worked together on building the app, which is available free from today on the iTunes store.
The app traces 30 key events in the history of occupied France from 1940 to 1944, with maps, video clips and archive photos.
BulkyPix founder Olivier Pierre said: "This project shows how widely applications can be used by cultural and historic organisations."
Nicolas Sarkozy is in London today for the 70th anniversary celebrations.
The app can be downloaded for free from this link.
