GAULLE Charles de. 2 L. A. S. (the 1st "Ton Papa"), 28 February and 5 September 1955, to his son Lieutenant Philippe de GAULLE (in Toulon); 3 and 4 pages in-8 headed Le Général de Gaulle. De Gaulle follows with interest his son's career and his grandson's studies. 28 February. "My dear Philippe, I want you to know that your mother and I were very happy to see you all again. We are thinking of you who, at the moment, have to go sailing and who, soon no doubt, will be going far away. We are thinking of Henriette who will be left alone with the children, a hard test for her youth. [...] Finally, we are thinking of your three boys, of whom you can be proud. [...] Next week I will have a cataract operation on my other eye. Don't mention it. As for me, I'll keep it as secret as possible. [...] Without this kind of operation, I would be blind today"... 5 September. "From what you write to me, it is not certain that the Navy is anxious to see you enter the Naval War College. If that is the case, I regret it. But I don't think you should force their hand (I'm speaking for myself). As she has put you on the roll, she might - in the person of your chiefs - think it bad that she is now being pressured, from outside, for something else. [...] My opinion is that, for the time being, you shouldn't force her. She's probably waiting to give you a new posting until you've been promoted to Lieutenant-Commander. Of course, it is less important than ever for you to give up the War College. On the contrary, now is the time to work as hard as you can for the exam, whatever the date. The coming year will be decisive for little Charles' studies. It's the year when he'll either start or not. As you can't look after him on a regular basis, I can tell you from experience that the quality of the school he goes to will be all the more important. [...] Tell me what the difference is, from the point of view of expenditure, between the best possible school (which must be the Maristes) and another more 'convenient' solution (including transport). I'm offering this difference to you and to your dear little boy"... LNC, II, p. 1180 and 1192.