The Martyr: Jean Bastien-Thiry and the Assassination Attempt of Charles de Gaulle

On August 22, 1962, President Charles de Gaulle and his wife were riding through a quiet Paris suburb when gunfire shattered the evening calm. More than 180 bullets tore into the motorcade, ricocheting across the pavement, shopfronts, and nearby homes. In a remarkable twist of fate, everyone survived unharmed-but the aftermath set off one of modern France's most intense manhunts. Who had orchestrated such a bold attack, and what drove them to target one of the nation's most influential political figures?

This book follows the plot from its earliest roots to its chaotic execution, tracing the motives, missteps, alliances, and betrayals that shaped the failed assassination attempt. It also explores the far-reaching consequences that followed-legal, political, and personal-as investigators closed in on the people responsible. Through a carefully detailed narrative, the story reveals how a single night of violence exposed deep divisions within France and left a lasting mark on its history.