As an Inspector General of Finance, he joined General de Gaulle and Free France during the Second World War, and presided over the Rally of the French People political party (Rassemblement du peuple français (RPF)) under the Fourth Republic.

He was admitted to the prestigious École normale supérieure in Paris in 1914, but the war interrupted his studies just as they began.

[1][page needed] He was in charge of the finances of Indochina, then became director of Georges Mandel's cabinet from 1938 to 1940.

[2][better source needed] And on 9 September 1944, Minister of War in the first government of Charles de Gaulle [fr] through 21 November 1945.

He succeeded Jacques Soustelle as President of the Rally of the French People (RPF) faction in the National Assembly, then chaired the Union of Republicans for Social Action [fr] (URAS).