Soustelle, who says he was in Salan's office when Dulac returned to render an account of his meeting with de Gaulle, claims that (quoting Dulac) de Gaulle had added “If I do not succeed, alors faites le nécessaire.” Soustelle took this to mean that de Gaulle favoured a military take-over if all else failed.

QUESTION: Is Soustelle's account reliable, or is he interpreting an ambiguous remark to fit his own hopes? The phrase could also mean 'do whatever is necessary' in a political sense.

Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Alge…, loc. 908