During World War II, France had two prominent leaders: Édouard Daladier and Charles de Gaulle.
Initially, Édouard Daladier served as the Prime Minister of France when the war began in 1939. He was in charge at the time of France’s declaration of war against Germany following the invasion of Poland. However, after France was occupied by Nazi forces in 1940, Daladier was replaced.
Following the fall of France and the establishment of the Vichy regime, Charles de Gaulle emerged as a key figure. He refused to accept the defeat and fled to London, where he became the leader of the Free French Forces. De Gaulle was a symbol of French resistance against Nazi occupation and worked tirelessly to rally support for France from abroad. Eventually, after the liberation of France in 1944, he returned to lead the country, becoming the leader of the provisional government.
In summary, while Édouard Daladier led at the start of the war, Charles de Gaulle became the most recognized French leader due to his role in the resistance during the occupation.