GAULLE Charles de. 2 L. A. S., Saint-Maixent 11 and 26 February 1919, to his mother Jeanne de GAULLE in Paris; 6 pages in-12 with envelope and 2 pages in-8. About an engagement in the armies of the East and his presumed role. 11th February. "The Ministry of War sent a telegram yesterday asking for the names of CICC [Centre d'instruction des chars de combat] officers who would like to leave for the Army of the East. I gave my name immediately, and gladly. As I have already told you, I had only asked for the Polish army as a stopgap for campaigning [...] The ministerial dispatch added that the officers who would be designated for the Army of the East would have to be ready to leave on 20 February. I am ready to leave tomorrow if I am designated. But I am old enough not to be moved by this date of 20 February. It will change several more times. Out of 200 of us here, barely twenty have registered. And yet, generally speaking, the repatriated officers on the first course are the most enthusiastic! Personally, I welcome this general weariness, because I am convinced that it will enable me to separate myself from this sad pack of runners very soon. What role is this ever-growing army of the Orient destined to play? In my opinion, it will first of all have to keep the Balkan peoples in check, as well as those resulting from the dismemberment of Austria and Russia: Ukraine, Poland, Don, Rumania, Serbia, Turkey, Greece, Hungary, German Austria and the Czechs, to prevent them, as far as possible, from feuding with each other too soon, to support the formation of governments that are favourable to us, and to force them to respect the borders that we will draw for them. It will also be a question of threatening the southern border of Germany if necessary, of preserving our direct communications with Poland and Russia, and of definitively blocking the way to the East for the Germans. A little later, the troops that we will have there will undoubtedly have to support a movement of the conservative states bordering on Russia (Finland, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, Don, Rumania, Siberia), against the hotbeds of riots and disorder, Moscow and Petersburg. Here, the moral state is good and stormy. It is commonly said that Marshal Foch is going to carry the armies forward at short notice"... 26th February. "No changes here. It is now almost officially stated that the course will finish on 15 March. I am writing to you in haste before going to the course so that my letter can leave this morning, as there is only one collection a day here"... LNC, I, p. 449 to 451.