Early Years
In his youth he met many of the heroes of the First World War, like Marshal Foch and General Pershing. Marshal Philippe Petain was a witness at his parents wedding. Young Count de Marenches joined the army, in the cavalry, in 1939 and initiated himself into intelligence work by informing his relatives and contacts in the United States about German activities in France in 1940. He narrowly escaped arrest from the Gestapo In 1942, and, crossing the Pyrenean mountains on foot, made his way to Algiers. He joined the French forces of liberation there and played a distinguished role in the Italian campaign. Wounded at the battle of Monte Cassino, He became aide de camp to General Alphonse Juin, the commander of the French forces in Italy (1943-July 1944). As such, he helped to coordinate the US military with the French expeditionary corps which opened the way to Rome.
After the war he moved into industry. In 1962 he resigned from the army reserve with the rank of Colonel in protest against Charles de Gaulle's Algerian policy.
Steeped in military culture and raised in the culture of secrecy, he learned early on that the price of privileges of birth was a strong sense of duty.
Read more about this topic: Alexandre De Marenches
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