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"FRANCE WILL NEVER FORGET"
consulfrance-atlanta.org — Funny, whenever a French person does something anti-american, we hear about it. But when 2500 French do something pro-American...
russvirante- 5794 diggs
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- spillingvoid, on 10/11/2007, -13/+771Thats really cool. We should also never forget that it was the French that allowed us(people of the USA) our freedom and chance to become a nation we should also try to never squander what was given to us by the French after all they did almost go bankrupt and have a civil war pretty much because of the help they gave us.
- Yurimanna, on 10/11/2007, -80/+23...so that they could use the general population of the rebel colony to seriously damage their main opponent...
- KibibyteBrain, on 10/11/2007, -7/+90Yep, that discredits their help completely. Just like the US GIs who gave their lives in WWII deserve no credit for stopping the Holocaust because that was not their main mission objective, which was in fact just to preserve western society. You shouldn't lose credit for doing something wonderful just because it wasn't your only or even main goal.
- HUKI365, on 10/11/2007, -50/+21Yet people don't extend this same consideration to Bush for unseating the Taliban and Saddam. Sure he (and the millitary planners) stuffed it up, and they did it for the oil/military-industrial complex - yet two despicable regimes WERE unseated.
- chuck3330, on 10/11/2007, -39/+6not to mention the fact that the french didn't help us until they were convinced we were winning
- Rahodeb, on 10/11/2007, -11/+18HUKI, even though you're getting dugg down to hell for a pro-Bush comment, that could very well end up being the case. Everyone needs to keep in mind that our own Revolution was followed by a civil war. There is still hope for Iraq, the success just depends on them
- ayeroxor, on 10/11/2007, -3/+6chuck3330: Who was convinced we were going to "win" an occupation, and when was that again?
- UglieJosh, on 10/11/2007, -8/+14Actually, a lone Prussian military officer did more for America than the entire French army... Not to say France didn't have their part.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baron_Von_Steuben
As much as the article praises him, it actually underrates him as far as the impact he made in the revolution.
In reality, John Paul Jones was the only American that made any REAL impact on the war.- washingtonydc, on 10/11/2007, -1/+30I'm not disagreeing with how much impact Von Steuben had. But to say JPJ was the only American to have any real impact? That's completely short-sighted.
Just off the top of my head, what about Knox taking the cannons at Ft Ticonderoga? What about Adams securing the aid of the French and the Dutch? What about, um I don't know, George Washington crossing the Delaware? The Revolution is filled with Americans performing incredible feats which had a very tangible outcome on the war. - tech42er, on 10/11/2007, -0/+10Yup. Take all the Americans out of the war, except for JPJ, and we still would have won!
/sarcasm - jerbaker, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4Does Rambo start with a "J" in old English?
- washingtonydc, on 10/11/2007, -1/+30I'm not disagreeing with how much impact Von Steuben had. But to say JPJ was the only American to have any real impact? That's completely short-sighted.
- Yurimanna, on 10/11/2007, -22/+2We should give credit to accidental "achievements"? No.
We should give credit to the instrumentality of human lives for a separate benefit than to the goal/desire of the "tools"? Definitely no.- ayeroxor, on 10/11/2007, -2/+7The discovery of Penicillin was accidental. But I bet you know who made that accident. I guess by your logic they should get no credit?
You are the tool. - heppareppana, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3Actually Alexander Fleming+Penicillium combo has nothing accidental in it.
Oh yeah your logic is faulty too. The idea that Yurimanna was referring to is completely different than the idea behind discovering penicillin.
Yurimannas idea was that while doing something con, you end up by mistake, doing something pro. Idea behind penicillin is just lets-think-of-and-try-all-the-ways-we-can-be-pro.
"You are the tool."
- ayeroxor, on 10/11/2007, -2/+7The discovery of Penicillin was accidental. But I bet you know who made that accident. I guess by your logic they should get no credit?
- HUKI365, on 10/11/2007, -50/+21Yet people don't extend this same consideration to Bush for unseating the Taliban and Saddam. Sure he (and the millitary planners) stuffed it up, and they did it for the oil/military-industrial complex - yet two despicable regimes WERE unseated.
- Septimus, on 10/11/2007, -14/+11They only did it to go against Britain. Don't think they did it because of any other reason.
- wenomspitta, on 10/11/2007, -7/+7why is he gettin buried down? its not like he is wrong...
- hmunkey, on 10/11/2007, -3/+4The French gave us our Independence for their own purposes. They still tried to quell American uprisings against them.
- skyteria, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1No, they did it to piss off the British.
- KibibyteBrain, on 10/11/2007, -7/+90Yep, that discredits their help completely. Just like the US GIs who gave their lives in WWII deserve no credit for stopping the Holocaust because that was not their main mission objective, which was in fact just to preserve western society. You shouldn't lose credit for doing something wonderful just because it wasn't your only or even main goal.
- washingtonydc, on 10/11/2007, -23/+88While France certainly helped us finance the war, I think it's a bit too much to say our independence "was given to us by the French." The US should have gratitude for the help given, but let's never forget that we achieved our independence ourselves. France was not helping us out of altruism--they were really getting back at the English. (and it wasn't just the French of course, many Dutch bankers loaned money as well.)
- KibibyteBrain, on 10/11/2007, -4/+26France's main, very necessary, role in the war was merely in supporting the US. Europe was and is very conservative politically when it comes to the rights of an established State and the idea of a rebel colony of the world superpower ever being respected as a government would have been laughable without the support of a major European power. So basically, France stuck their neck out for us, which gave the rest of Europe and excuse to honor the new country in spite of the fact England wouldn't even concede defeat.
- ChromaticDragon, on 10/11/2007, -2/+14Probably the greatest example of your statement is Spain. France almost immediately took the opportunity to side with us once we declared independence in order to continue their decades long struggle against England. Spain allied in this fight with France, but quite pointedly NOT with the US. Spain also wished to fight Britain but was not at all terribly thrilled with the idea of rebellion in the colonies.
- kuzotz, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2it basically was. If we didn't have their help man. The US would look completely different. Which may or may not be a good thing.
- KibibyteBrain, on 10/11/2007, -4/+26France's main, very necessary, role in the war was merely in supporting the US. Europe was and is very conservative politically when it comes to the rights of an established State and the idea of a rebel colony of the world superpower ever being respected as a government would have been laughable without the support of a major European power. So basically, France stuck their neck out for us, which gave the rest of Europe and excuse to honor the new country in spite of the fact England wouldn't even concede defeat.
- G-RaZoR, on 10/11/2007, -111/+8USA WILL NEVER FORGET....WHEN FRANCE SURRENDERED.
- EarlOfLade, on 10/11/2007, -7/+32Did you come? Was it good for you?
- Scaryclouds, on 10/11/2007, -5/+21...Dude shut up...
- ayeroxor, on 10/11/2007, -1/+7As long as there will always be people willing to ignore the facts in order to be part of a group of people like them (violence-loving rednecks who believe patriotism means blindly following some politician off a cliff) there will be people like grazor.
- PooGod, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4People like G-RaZoR really make me sick. They are being nice to us, and what do you have to say about? Nothing but disrespect. I really hope you enjoy the police state that Bush is going to turn this country into, because blind faith (or "Patriotism" as the ill-informed call it) is what is allowing Bush to strip us of our civil liberties.
" `merica, the greatest country this world done ever did see, ya hear?"
Dumbass.
- EarlOfLade, on 10/11/2007, -7/+32Did you come? Was it good for you?
- ostracize, on 10/11/2007, -2/+9Britain had just gone through two wars spanning two decades and did not have the will or resources to fight another. With the acquisition of new colonies from those wars including the acquisition of others (notably India), Britain would have likely fought better in the war had they not been stretched so thin.
- xGeneric, on 10/11/2007, -5/+4"had just gone through two wars spanning two decades and did not have the will or resources to fight another."
heh, unfortunately that phrase might work well with another country as well. - darkciti, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3Shoulda, woulda, coulda.
- xGeneric, on 10/11/2007, -5/+4"had just gone through two wars spanning two decades and did not have the will or resources to fight another."
- LethalAmbition, on 10/11/2007, -16/+10LOL. Diggers have become expert historians.
- zeromancer, on 10/11/2007, -1/+17if by 'experts in history', you mean that we know 9th grade history, then you're spot on.
- quetzatcoatl, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Thats better than most of the population
- hmunkey, on 10/11/2007, -3/+1You don't know history. Half of these "facts" are false.
- Darph.Bobo, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Much more than half are false. After all Digg is the mother of the historically retarded.
- zeromancer, on 10/11/2007, -1/+17if by 'experts in history', you mean that we know 9th grade history, then you're spot on.
- garyinthehouse, on 10/11/2007, -7/+5Amen to that brother.
- streamline, on 10/11/2007, -20/+1A whole 2500....why not 25,000? why not 250,000?
Peace!
http://iraqsinconvenienttruth.com/ - sallos, on 10/11/2007, -8/+2France paid American Indians for scalps they collected off American settlers, thats where that all started.
- shableep, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3hm. that's a really long sentence.
- FutureGuy, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6we helped each other, no if no buts. I hope we keep doing that. In retrospect they did tell us not to get into Iraq.
- Yurimanna, on 10/11/2007, -80/+23...so that they could use the general population of the rebel colony to seriously damage their main opponent...
- reflex768, on 10/11/2007, -2/+255Yep. That plucks the old heart-string alright. Lovely gesture.
- ricerfuel, on 10/11/2007, -14/+8They don't do that for us British and we saved thousands of them during d-day, could have just left their asses there...
- WiseWeasel, on 10/11/2007, -3/+9France has a long history of looking down their noses at the British. Out of respect for this tradition, gratitude must be kept suppressed, lest they be seen as equals (the horror)...
- ayeroxor, on 10/11/2007, -0/+8If you think the British "could have left their asses there" and you don't know what would have happened next, you're a confused little man. Britain did not have the luxury of ignoring what was going on "so far away."
- whataboutdave, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3If you actually RTFA, you would know that this gesture was done on July4th - American Independence Day. The profile on the balloon is of the marquis de La Fayette, a French nobleman who famously volunteered for the American revolutionary war, and is a national hero. Nobody was snubbing the British, or the Canadians, or the Aussies or Kiwis or Polish. The other nations are recognized annually, but France and America share a special bond.
- jerbaker, on 10/11/2007, -5/+2Give me a break. Britain was tired of V2 attacks raining in from the coast of France. You think you were there to save the French?
- strangewill, on 10/11/2007, -3/+3If someone comes in and saves your life, are you going to nitpick exactly why?
- jerbaker, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2Yes, that is exactly what every person here picking on the French has been doing. "They didn't help in the Revolutionary Way except to hurt England" and so on. Get the point now?
- Frnnkdlxx, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1that had nothing to do with it.
- strangewill, on 10/11/2007, -3/+3If someone comes in and saves your life, are you going to nitpick exactly why?
- Frnnkdlxx, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Yeah, big up to America for honoring the Tuskeegee airmen of WW2 by infusing them with syphilis and denying their votes. Big ups. Plucks the old heart strings doesn't it?
- ricerfuel, on 10/11/2007, -14/+8They don't do that for us British and we saved thousands of them during d-day, could have just left their asses there...
- zovres, on 10/11/2007, -7/+445I'm french and I can tell you that from what I have heard from my grand parents I will never ever forget the lesson that the US taught the world during WW2. and by lesson I don't just mean butt kicking I also mean compassion generosity and sacrifice.
Please remember that it's not because we disagree (and that we are rude...) that we don't like you. I we ever were to make a mistake we're counting on our friends to tell us what they think about it.
take care America.- karakh, on 10/11/2007, -93/+8"compassion generosity and sacrifice".... You mean jumping in at the end of the war when they start to feel threatened?
Historically accurate reenactment > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFJSpGThtF0- cassholio, on 10/11/2007, -7/+43karakh-thank you for your generous lesson in douchebaggery. Well played.
- CharlesDance, on 10/11/2007, -13/+5You're right, only after the USA got bombed by Japan did we 'help' anybody and they only entered the war because we were forced to. 2 1/2 years after the holocaust had started and countries were already overthrown. Then we handed out loans desperately needed, with massive intrest which UK has only just paid off and with other countries still haven't. It's a shame Some of us Americans are ignorant about the French, they were the first to help over throw British rule. They even owned louisiana until 1803.
- art42, on 10/11/2007, -2/+8Ever hear of FDR's "lend-lease" program? FDR tried to get us involved in the war prior to Pearl Harbor, the isolationist wouldn't allow it.
Got a link for your claim that UK "just paid off and with other countries still haven't"?- jerbaker, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2And you know if Ron Paul was alive then he would've been against involvement in that war too, and I'm not saying that to be a dick. Just important to know where your politicians would stand should an international emergency break out.
- CharlesDance, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4970720.stm Just paid off in last 6 months I think. And yes Roosevelt helped earlier, but only by means of these loans. The majority of the US congress i.e. representative of the majority of the USA, didn't intervene when they definitely should have. But when we got in Roosevelt’s policies of amazing generosity and altruism didn’t even stick, Little Boy made that clear.
- art42, on 10/11/2007, -2/+8Ever hear of FDR's "lend-lease" program? FDR tried to get us involved in the war prior to Pearl Harbor, the isolationist wouldn't allow it.
- Pilot85, on 10/11/2007, -0/+20Yeah, we jumped in after pearl harbor. We were a different country then - isolationists were power in the U.S., and they wanted us out of the war. But don't tell me we did nothing. You people need to learn your history - see what we did BEFORE we entered the war.
- Brss45, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1cash and carry, lend and lease, etc, For the Win!
- Scaryclouds, on 10/11/2007, -4/+10Since we all know by December 8th 1941 (when we actually declared war) the war (ended August 15th 1945) was practically over.
- art42, on 10/11/2007, -12/+3Wrong! Where did you hear the "was practically over" BS?
- Mearn, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Holy sarcasm Batman!
- art42, on 10/11/2007, -12/+3Wrong! Where did you hear the "was practically over" BS?
- uberfr4gger, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5Which is why the U.S. was constantly supplying the British throughout the war and why FDR and Churchill were discussing their plans after victory in the war. FDR knew they were going to war but he also knew he wouldnt get Congress' or the people's approval to go in, which is why after Pearl Harbor we jumped in.
- Crimsoneer, on 10/11/2007, -5/+18and don't forget what you stand for, because in the past years some of us worried you had.
- Mofoliage, on 10/11/2007, -27/+0Jesus Christ. How brown is your nose?
- ohthehumanity, on 10/11/2007, -0/+42Let us also not forget who gave us our most prized symbol of freedom.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_liberty- mike81890, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4or who saved our asses in our first war... the American Revolution!
- zovres, on 10/11/2007, -14/+10How brown is my nose? when it comes to ww2 very brown I'd say. but don't get me started on the whole iraq/bush thing... And yeah maybe they jumped in a little late but that doesn't undermine the respect that I have for all the regular guys like us that went through hell to do what's right.
- karakh, on 10/11/2007, -93/+8"compassion generosity and sacrifice".... You mean jumping in at the end of the war when they start to feel threatened?
- jmpeagle, on 10/11/2007, -17/+315Did you know most of America had a positive view of the French before 9/11? After their refusal to support us in Iraq (which turned out to be the corrrect move), their popularity sank and yet even as we have come to realize that war was definitely not the answer, American's views of the French have improved but nowhere near the pre 9/11 levels. We could learn from them on social issues and they could learn from us on economic issues but our two countries should be friends.
They helped us fight imperial Britain and throw off the imperial yoke and we got the opportunity to pay them back in World War 2 by helping to rid the Nazis from their land. We both owe each other each other's existence except our politicians (with the notable exception of the newly elected Sarkozy) seem to thrive off anti-French/anti-American platitudes.
I don't see a return to a normal relationship though until we can get out of this boondoggle in Iraq.- HarryBauzonia, on 10/11/2007, -23/+51Damn.
I came here to say something nice about the French, but instead I have to risk insulting them by correcting your stupid ass.
The reason the French government (and the Russian government) was against our move into Iraq was because they were making money there. They were violating UN sanctions and selling Saddam goods and weapons which were banned.
Notice I said government and not people. The people actually have some sense as evidenced by their election of Mr. Sarkozy.- coyoteblue, on 10/11/2007, -6/+20Most of Europe has been torn apart twice in the last century, with a good deal of the fighting taking place in France. If you take this into account, France's wariness to jump into the Iraq conflict, or any war for that matter, is a little more understandable.
- blackjack75, on 10/11/2007, -8/+15I don't deny they had interests. But I am also pretty certain their information on iraq was analyzed more carefully. Nobody seems to remember the whole invasion was made upon a big fat lie about the threat iraq supposedly represented for other countries.
- HarryBauzonia, on 10/11/2007, -13/+11Yeah.
I remember that too. I remember that the Iraqis were doing their damnedest to make us think that they were armed to the teeth. I also remember that there were Russian technicians on the ground dismantling missiles and shipping key components back to Russia. And I remember weapons being transferred from Iraq into Syria.
I also remember that the Iraq war started in 1991. Stop cherry-picking your "facts", boy.- alf86, on 10/11/2007, -6/+4I remember how from day one of the ground invasion in 2003, Iraqi forces were launching missiles at our troops who were more than 100 miles out of the range Iraq was legally allowed to have. That's right, folks. They had illegal weapons and used them against us.
- jerbaker, on 10/11/2007, -2/+5Well surely if you remember it you also remember where we can see documentation of your claims.
- crichton101, on 10/11/2007, -2/+15Harry, stop treating rumors as fact. Where is the proof anything was shipped to Syria? I remember some Bush supporters suggesting that, but there was never proof. So if you have any, please show it. Likewise with your claim of the Russian techs dismantling missles and sending parts back to Russia. Please prove you have real facts and not the same kind of facts that Dick Cheney uses, which is hearsay and rumor, and ofcourse his habit of using out right lies.
- annonimality, on 10/11/2007, -2/+9"I remember weapons being transferred from Iraq into Syria" - Do you have a source? You seem about as trustworthy as Dick Cheney.
"I also remember that the Iraq war started in 1991" - The Persian Gulf War started in 1991, the Iraq War started in 2003, there's a difference.- nigh7dagger, on 10/11/2007, -6/+3Ah, but we've been maintaining a presence there ever since.
Do you have a source for saying that Dick Cheney is pure evil and trying to take over the world? (And I mean a reliable one). I'm not even going to go into how your second paragraph was the EXACT SAME THING posted above you. - annonimality, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4"your second paragraph was the EXACT SAME THING posted above you." - Dude, the guy posted his comment 3 minutes before me! I didn't even see it until after I posted mine and refreshed the page.
- nigh7dagger, on 10/11/2007, -6/+3Ah, but we've been maintaining a presence there ever since.
- HarryBauzonia, on 10/11/2007, -13/+11Yeah.
- hfactor, on 10/11/2007, -5/+8"The people actually have some sense as evidenced by their election of Mr. Sarkozy."
Your statement made sense till you ruined it completely with your last sentence.
That right wing ***** showed very clearly that he doesn´t give a ***** about his people during the 2005 riots in France. - Kinkistyle, on 10/11/2007, -4/+4Uh.. Am I wrong or isn't hindsight supposed to be 20/20?
I think the fact that going into Iraq would sink everyone involved into a deep, unwinnable quagmire was by far the BIGGER reason for France's resistance to the venture over any meager profits they might have had there. Do you have blinders on so tight that you can't see the situation our country is currently in? In fact I think Russia was secretly rooting for us to go into Iraq as revenge for Afghanistan. - Kikinou, on 10/11/2007, -0/+9That cynical view may have some truth to it, but consider this: Iraq was to France what Saudi Arabia is to the United States. Do you think the U.S. would have a problem if France wanted to overthrow the "evil" house of Saud under the guise of preventing them of acquiring WMDs? Same thing.
- niczar, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4This BS has been thoroughly debunked already. But anyway, even if it was true, it would be completely pointless for 2 reasons:
- US companies are ripping off Iraq's assets
- The US has killed close to a million Iraqis, France 0.- jdibiase, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1- what assets?
- one million? sounds high.
- jdibiase, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1- what assets?
- Pilot85, on 10/11/2007, -3/+25I never hated the French. Before or after. In fact, I just got totally hammered in London (multiple times, heh) with a couple Frenchmen. Rock on France.
- maffiou, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2I use to get hammered in London with frenchmen too... Well, I'm French, so it only takes another one, but still... Drink on, my round !
- pdangelo22, on 10/11/2007, -5/+22i agree with you, americans started hating the french after their refusal to support us in iraq. now that most americans realise the french were RIGHT, going in was a MAJOR mistake, it's just a pride thing. we should swallow it and move on. unfortunately, most americans are too arrogant to see this logic
- nigh7dagger, on 10/11/2007, -7/+5Uh, no. As said before, they were selling Saddam things he wasn't supposed to have. They thought that if we invaded they would get exposed.
- jerbaker, on 10/11/2007, -2/+4Um, if we knew that they were selling Saddam things before we invaded, what exactly were they afraid would be exposed?
- nigh7dagger, on 10/11/2007, -7/+5Uh, no. As said before, they were selling Saddam things he wasn't supposed to have. They thought that if we invaded they would get exposed.
- mcmlxxii, on 10/11/2007, -5/+20"The reason the French government (and the Russian government) was against our move into Iraq was because they were making money there. They were violating UN sanctions and selling Saddam goods and weapons which were banned."
I don't think that's the whole story either. When it suited the US they sold Saddam shiploads of weapons too. To ignore that while pointing the finger in the direction of the French is no less than blatant hypocrisy. To give France, Germany and Russia some credit, they suggested that the UN allow Hans Blix to finish his job. Had he done so it would have been clear that there really were no weapons of mass destruction, and the US + UK's tissue-thin argument for war would have developed a large hole.
According to polls taken at the time, the majority in the UK did not want the war and it still angers me today to think of that smug ***** Blair taking us into what has inevitably developed into a bloody mess. We have a long and honourable tradition here in the UK of taking the piss out of the French, but in this particular case I do think the way the US behaved over France's decision not to go into Iraq was childish and stupid. - ajwinder, on 10/11/2007, -4/+2Ummmmm...yeah. Social issues, not so much on the french side. They don't know how to properly handle an immigrant population, which led to the riots by the muslim community in recent history. The French are definitely not the go-to guys when it comes to social issues, im sorry, lol.
And I'm pretty sure the anti-french attitude has existed long before 9/11. Its not about the fact that you didnt support us in Iraq. Its about the fact that you treat tourists like *****, and are generally a bunch of arrogant pricks. If a french person came and visited New York City, they'd be treated just like every other tourist, even if they didnt speak english. If an American goes to France, expect to be overcharged, receive a much lesser quality meal, have the locals around you curse you being there, etc. Then realize tourism has to be a huge industry in France, and you're going to have nothing but negative reactions.- Danial, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Well the anti-French attitude was the mainstay in Oceania in the 90's. Hell, some youths threw firebombs at the French consulate in Perth in '95 in response to S. Pacific nuclear testing.
- 2h3px, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2have you even been to france? if an american went there they'd be greeted by english-speaking people willing to help if a french person or any foreign person came to america they'd have no such luck unless of course theyre hispanic
- SuperMoses, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2"Did you know most of America had a positive view of the French before 9/11? After their refusal to support us in Iraq (which turned out to be the corrrect move), their popularity sank and yet even as we have come to realize that war was definitely not the answer"
And the US media played a LARGE role in creating hostility towards the french.
- HarryBauzonia, on 10/11/2007, -23/+51Damn.
- karakh, on 10/11/2007, -61/+5Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time! *humph*
This is sarcasm right? - tobybuk, on 10/11/2007, -30/+45This comes from an age where we could tell right from wrong. USA and the UK stood up to the Nazi regime and eventually good prevailed, but not before millions were killed and the horrors of the Holocaust were perpetrated. I think every single free thinking person, whichever nation they come from, owes a huge debt of gratitude to the people who gave their lives to overthrow the evil Nazis.
We also owe it to these people to respect and cherish what they were fighting for: Freedom and justice. Which is exactly why we could kick the buts of the ***** politicians who pretend to aspire to these goals but in reality follow the money monkey and are in it to feather their own nests.
Ask yourselfs why we had idiots renaming French fries to freedom fries. Did they truly believe that making war on Iraq would magically change the oldest society in the world to our idea of 'freedom' overnight? No. These politicians were using the memory of these WW2 heros and trying to associate themselves with them and leech off the respect they have. Utterly disgusting behavior.
We should go onto the street and burn the US and UK flags. Why? Well, read this: http://www.flagburning.org/- karakh, on 10/11/2007, -23/+7"USA and the UK stood up to the Nazi regime".... You have to be ***** kidding me! Great Britain sure, but America? Once again, a historically accurate reenactment > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFJSpGThtF0
- adsoftheworld, on 10/11/2007, -8/+3Haha! Why are ppl digg you down I have no idea. ;)
- art42, on 10/11/2007, -4/+3They didn't bother to look at the link?
- jdibiase, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Yeah, the US had nothing to do with defeating the Nazis .... /sarcasm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_the_United_States_during_World_War_II#European_and_North_African_Theaters
- adsoftheworld, on 10/11/2007, -8/+3Haha! Why are ppl digg you down I have no idea. ;)
- speerross, on 10/11/2007, -4/+8Well said both to you and flagburning.org. Politicians have slandered the very idea of Patriotism, they have turned freedom in to a meaningless Buzzword. Freedom is the freedom to choose - to choose anything. True freedom is the ability to maximize choices the only restriction being those choices must not limit the choices of any other. Ask yourselves, does the USA operate on this principle today? Apparently freedom is the freedom to wire tap citizens, the freedom to send armed police in to their homes and arrest them for smoking pot, the freedom to invade countries that don't conform with our views.
- blackjack75, on 10/11/2007, -2/+8Karakh, I am afraid that explanation is a little limited. That said I agree that the whole 6 june is strongly overrated. Not to disminish in any way the courage of the american, british, australian, canadian and french soldiers who fought but the historical truth is that in Europe the fight was between nazism and communism.
The french should be grateful to the allied for saving them from 60 years of communist rule that would have come had they not stepped in. By mid-1944 the nazis were already out in the east and the red army was coming to rule the whole of western europe.
Sometimes an image is worth a thousand words.
http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/ww2-loss.htm- Toshibi, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4Wow, those maps we're breathtaking...the sheer loss of human life.
- twinklyJesus, on 10/11/2007, -5/+3I never knew that the entire war only occurred in a small part of Europe! I thought an insignificant little part took place, oh, I don't remember, um all over the Pacific, mabye! I don't know, but I'd like to see the Chinese death figures, Burma, Philippines, SE Asia, etc.
Wow, just a little ethnocentric, eh?- nigh7dagger, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4That's cause you didn't scroll down, dumbass.
- BrainInAJar, on 10/11/2007, -5/+4No, the UK and the USSR won WWII. America just came along for the ride near the end
- shogun042, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3yeah except for that whole um, Japanese part? yeah America just came in for that 'ride' across the Pacific ocean right? you know, Iwo Jima, Midway, the Atomic bomb. what would have happened if Russia was attacked in the East by Japan? not to mention constantly ferrying supplies and sinking UBoats across the Atlantic.
- kjm16, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2BrainInAJar = ignorant dumbass
- SeventhSon, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2So the 14,795 aircraft, 7,056 tanks, 51,503 jeeps, 375,883 Trucks, 35,170 Motorcycles 8,071 tractors, 8,218 guns, 131,633 machine guns, 345,735 tons of explosives, $10,910,000 worth of buildings, 11,155 railroad cars, 1,981 locomotives, 90 cargo ships, 105 sub hunters, 197 torpedo boats, 7,784 ship engines, 4,478,000 tons if food, $1,078,965,000 worth in machines and equipment, 802,000 tons of metal, 2,670,000 tons of petrol products, 842,000 tons of chemicals, 106,893,000 tons of cotton, 49,860 tons of leather, 3,786,000 tires, and 15,417,001 pairs of Army boots we lent to the USSR ALONE (even before Pearl Harbor) don't count? And we sent about three times that much stuff to Britain.
Take the brain out of the jar and use it.
- niczar, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2The US didn't exactly stand up to the Nazis. Ask yourself this, when did the US declare war on Germany in WWII? Answser: NEVER. Germany declared war on the US.
- Kugo, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1It's easy to see things clear in retrospect. Many people who should have known better did not. As is the case today. After so many years it looks black and white to you but it might not have looked that way then. I think the words of John le Carre echo what you are saying but I'm not certain that's any more than nostalgia. And as we all know, nostalgia isn't what it used to be.
- karakh, on 10/11/2007, -23/+7"USA and the UK stood up to the Nazi regime".... You have to be ***** kidding me! Great Britain sure, but America? Once again, a historically accurate reenactment > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFJSpGThtF0
- tybris, on 10/11/2007, -13/+213No one in Europe really hates the United States, only their mistakes. Which, sadly, have been plentiful in recent years.
- devboy00, on 10/11/2007, -2/+47True dat. I know people from around the world, and from what I can gather, we are all pretty much the same. It's the people in charge that are causing all the trouble.
- Jabertsohn, on 10/11/2007, -26/+7Who elected you as spokesman for Europe?
- Jabertsohn, on 10/11/2007, -26/+4Who elected you as spokesman for Europe?
- hfactor, on 10/11/2007, -3/+26True. America is going the wrong way, and we are afraid for your democracy. But criticism only seems to result in "opinions" like
"French = pussies", "Germans = nazis" etc... Stupid nationalism has to come to an end. We should be friends and allies to tackle the problems of the future.- whataboutdave, on 10/11/2007, -7/+3That's the beauty of our Republic - it is a self-correcting political ecosystem. 2008 will see the Bush Republicans swept out of Congress.
- EXreaction, on 10/11/2007, -1/+52008?
You moron think that it is fine to wait until the end of 2008 to get rid of the traitorous bastard? Hell, in that short amount of time (actually within a single day it could be done) Bush could call for a nuclear strike on Iran and start WW3.
That'd be like sitting on some C4 hoping it won't explode, even though you'd have a more comfortable seat if you got your ass up and moved to a safe distance away from it. - cs02rm0, on 10/11/2007, -2/+4Beauty? Even if GWB hadn't had a _second_ term I'm not sure I would've described it as that!
- jubalharshaw, on 10/11/2007, -0/+32008, eh? I remember everyone saying the same thing about the 2004 elections. That worked well.
- EXreaction, on 10/11/2007, -1/+52008?
- whataboutdave, on 10/11/2007, -7/+3That's the beauty of our Republic - it is a self-correcting political ecosystem. 2008 will see the Bush Republicans swept out of Congress.
- roodammy44, on 10/11/2007, -3/+9Mistakes?
Whoops, we invaded another country! Didn't mean to do that! - uzusan, on 10/11/2007, -1/+9Mistakes such as electing bush. twice.
- ziffel, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2Once, but point granted.
- buildbyflying, on 10/11/2007, -6/+2no offense but I've met plenty of europeans in the last several years that detest america. After a few drinks we can come to a consensus, but it's not after I get a thorough American-bashing. Hell, my girlfriend detests america.
Most people are forgiving of people, but generalizations plague all societies and europe is not excluded. - Kugo, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1buildbyflying is right. So is uzusan. roodammy44 is way too close to the truth!
- Indyanna, on 10/11/2007, -3/+151While we're on the subject - a big salute to the heroes who were in the French Resistance, and to all the French who fought long and hard in WWII. Your sacrifices were not in vain.
- enchantedsky, on 10/11/2007, -0/+8Right on, buddy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_resistance
- DamnLogins, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6But then stoke the fires in hell for the French bastards who gave up my great-uncle to the Germans in WWII.
To the British airmen : "we'll hide you"
To the SS : "They're over there"
Bah! 60 years ago and it still pisses me off.- BrainInAJar, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4You mean like what the British did to the Cossacks in Lienz? (look it up.)
- DamnLogins, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6But then stoke the fires in hell for the French bastards who gave up my great-uncle to the Germans in WWII.
- zebbie, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Not in vain but Im sure a lot of the people who died to put an end to evil empires stomping all around the world murdering people will be spinning in their graves right now.
- enchantedsky, on 10/11/2007, -0/+8Right on, buddy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_resistance
- DaveV, on 10/11/2007, -51/+3They will never forget what "we" did, but they will simply act like it was their due.
- AntoniusMaximus, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4Funny how there are always spectacular douchebags around to counter-balance the good feelings of a post.
- Cmonkey67, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Yeah...that's why they did this gesture...cause they thought it was their due...you're a jackass.
- tinker123, on 10/11/2007, -11/+234I'm a patriotic American. The U.S. did a tremendous and heroic service for the Europeans during WWII that should not be forgotten. However, I am against my fellow Americans rubbing it in the face of the Europeans every time they disagree with our president. The fact is WWII ended 62 years ago. It is time to stop reminding them of what we did for them, literally a life time ago. If the Europeans owe anyone anything they owe the Americans who actually fought in the war gratitude. They do not owe the current American government, which is almost bereft of any combat veterans, let alone WWII Americans anything...let alone blind obedience. The Europeans are our friend and our allies, not our wingmen, not our slaves, not our colonies.
- Pilot85, on 10/11/2007, -4/+15Ur god damn right.
- Nerfdude, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4ur? come on, use your words.
- daunity, on 10/11/2007, -9/+8I know of many veterans.. thousands actually.. that are less than 30. Many of them have seen combat, many have died fighting. While I disagree with this war, WHOEVER should be willing to protect our country deserves their honour, even if the leader is aiming the wrong direction.
- rupaw, on 10/11/2007, -1/+13Thanks for your words of wisdom. I'm glad that at least some of you in the US see the light, brother!
- whataboutdave, on 10/11/2007, -0/+7Of course there is no need to bring it up constantly, but it is something that should be remembered forever. My American history textbooks from back in the day included the French contributions to our revolution in detail. Our interconnectedness is a large part of both histories for the last 300 or so years.
- tinker123, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2That is a good point.
While I've heard many drunken loud mouths talk about how "we bailed France out during WWII" ( like they personally did something ) I can't say I ever heard anyone from France say something similar too
"Oui, if it wasn't for us they might not have a country and all the ingrates can do is call us cheese eating surrender monkeys every time we exercise our common sense in not taking the dictates of that idiotic president they have"
- tinker123, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2That is a good point.
- Danial, on 10/11/2007, -0/+6If anything, we Americans owe the French a lot in monetary assistance that they gave us during the Revolutionary War. A lot more than what the French owe us for World War 2.
- Pilot85, on 10/11/2007, -4/+15Ur god damn right.
- Jabertsohn, on 10/11/2007, -26/+86You forgot the British you French bastards!
- blackjack75, on 10/11/2007, -6/+34And the canadians.
- Jabertsohn, on 10/11/2007, -5/+5The Who?
- tatung, on 10/11/2007, -0/+14The Who are British. The Guess Who are Canadian.
- tatung, on 10/11/2007, -0/+14The Who are British. The Guess Who are Canadian.
- Jabertsohn, on 10/11/2007, -5/+5The Who?
- shackleton1, on 10/11/2007, -9/+25The British and Canadians have been airbrushed out of D-day. See also: Saving Private Ryan.
- whataboutdave, on 10/11/2007, -0/+14SPR was not a movie about war - it was a movie about soldiers as people. In other words, they were not trying to document the assault on D-Day, but instead a small squad. Plus, it wasn't like the Canadians Americans and British all landed on the same beaches - they had separate assignments. It would make no sense.
- Xirto, on 10/11/2007, -0/+39I'm a Canadian and I was there on June 6th this year to commemorate D-Day. The French didn't forget the Canadians and the British at all. The article talks about Omaha Beach which was in the American sector together with Utah beach. If you go to Juno beach, Sword beach or Gold beach you will find plenty of monuments in honor of the Canadian and British soldiers.
- dstz, on 10/11/2007, -0/+102 minutes from were I live, to British soldiers:
http://www.pbase.com/debetencourt/image/79483836
http://www.pbase.com/debetencourt/image/79484660
but around here it was really the Canadian year :)
http://perso.orange.fr/memoiresdepierre/alphabetnew/v/vimycanada.html
http://www.nordmag.fr/patrimoine/histoire_regionale/histoire_regionale.htm- shackleton1, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2Yes that's actually very true, the French do remember the British and Canadian contributions. Northern France is covered in monuments and grave to the dead of both wars. And this event is actually a really nice gesture and I feel a bit guilty for hijacking it with my comment.
But yeah, got a bit fed up with WW2 being gradually replaced with the US-Germany war 1941-45.
- shackleton1, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2Yes that's actually very true, the French do remember the British and Canadian contributions. Northern France is covered in monuments and grave to the dead of both wars. And this event is actually a really nice gesture and I feel a bit guilty for hijacking it with my comment.
- vertinox, on 10/11/2007, -0/+20And the millions of Russians holding up 2/3 of the total of the German war machine on the Eastern front. Keep in mind if the Ruskies had rolled over in 1941 or 42 we would have been looking at 2 million Germans in France instead of 200,000.
- Bearach, on 10/11/2007, -4/+0The Russians/Soviets also invaded Poland in 1939 with Germany which caused France and the UK to declare war on Germany, if it were not for this the invasion of France may well have never happened.
Personaly I feel the Russians deserved everything they got in WW2 and there is little to choose between the behavior of Stalin and Hitler. Hitler obviously gets all the press because the Germans were simply much more efficient in their genocidal madness.
Don't ever believe a Russian when he tells you they were the victims.- anonymousrex, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0So, to rephrase, you think that 20 million Russians deserved to die. Moron.
- Bearach, on 10/11/2007, -4/+0The Russians/Soviets also invaded Poland in 1939 with Germany which caused France and the UK to declare war on Germany, if it were not for this the invasion of France may well have never happened.
- Danial, on 10/11/2007, -3/+7Let's not forget that if it weren't for the French, America would not even existed.
- zcreem, on 10/11/2007, -3/+3Let's not start a blame game, they couldn't have known ;)
- tybris, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2As for the rest of Europe... we still hate each other.
- zebbie, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2yeah! bastards!
On a lighter note during the "freedom fries" era why didnt America just demolish the statue of liberty seeing as tho anything french was evil by association?- DonKarnage25, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Didn't you know? We no longer tell our children that the statue of liberty came from France.
We can demolish french ties to a monument without actually demolishing the momument itself.
- DonKarnage25, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Didn't you know? We no longer tell our children that the statue of liberty came from France.
- zebbie, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2yeah! bastards!
- EnergyFlash, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Agreed. 3000 brave British servicemen & women dead every single day at the peak of hostilities. I think that should be recognized.
- blackjack75, on 10/11/2007, -6/+34And the canadians.
- mikefitz2, on 10/11/2007, -41/+5oh yeah really this is just so cool.
Who were the french and irish siding with in the ww2 again?
WE WILL NEVER FORGET.- coyoteblue, on 10/11/2007, -1/+15Ireland refused to help Britain in World War II because at the time of the potato famine, Ireland was under English rule, and the English government basically let over a million Irish die. Ireland's anger at the British government resulted in it's remaining neutral during World War II.
- aadyss, on 10/11/2007, -6/+0Gee, I thought the Irish potato famine was in the mid 1800's.
- pcghost, on 10/11/2007, -0/+8The Irish obviously have a long memory. Famine and occupation tend to do that to a people.
- chuck3330, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5ireland was neutral....
- Cmonkey67, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1France was taken over my Germany...they didn't "side with them".
And like chuck3330 said Ireland was neutral.
It's like saying "We will never forget what side Switzerland was on"...no one's.
...Dumbass.
- coyoteblue, on 10/11/2007, -1/+15Ireland refused to help Britain in World War II because at the time of the potato famine, Ireland was under English rule, and the English government basically let over a million Irish die. Ireland's anger at the British government resulted in it's remaining neutral during World War II.
- ultraJesus, on 10/11/2007, -2/+59Thats really cool. I hope they do a similar thing on Sword and Juno beaches for Britain and Canada though.
Good for them. This is one of the coolest things I have seen people do in a while. - NeoSporin, on 10/11/2007, -15/+33I think you're forgetting Canada o.O
- CBTF, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6Considering the Canadians progressed the furthest into their assigned beach out of all the allies, i'd have to agree.
- Elamen, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Yeah, they also didn't have any resistance like the Americans did.
- RedWolves, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5Canadians Landed on Juno Beach not Omaha Beach
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juno_Beach
I am sure if there are pics of Juno beach there will be many french civilians just as thankfull. - echinda, on 10/11/2007, -2/+6I'm a Canadian and I see no reason why any Canadian should whine on this thread "What about us?" Some French people are thanking some American people. That's great. End of story.
- biggerdigger69, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2Thank you, I'm glad someone said it. All of the "what about us?!" whining is really pretty pitiful.
- Velnich, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1As a Canadian who wasn't alive for the war or what either side did for one another, I shall take pride in was part we played and say "no thanks is necessary".
- twishart, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2But it's so easy to miss Canada, all tucked away down there...
- SuperMoses, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Unless you live in Greenland.. it's "up there"
- Slython, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Unless you live under a rock, it's a quote from The Simpsons
- SuperMoses, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Unless you live in Greenland.. it's "up there"
- jake8689, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1why would the french thank you on Omaha beach when you were nvr there if this was a picture of Juno that would be a different story, come on read the article or learn some damn history
- CBTF, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6Considering the Canadians progressed the furthest into their assigned beach out of all the allies, i'd have to agree.
- zykt0n, on 10/11/2007, -31/+5EXCUSE ME! WHAT ABOUT THE BRITISH! WILL FRANCE EVER FORGET WHAT WE DID FOR THEM?! AND THE REST OF THE WORLD?!
- BERT384201, on 10/11/2007, -0/+10This gesture was made on the American Independence Day. Not a British national holiday.
- RedWolves, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3It was also made on Omaha beach which the Americans landed not the British.
The British landed on Sword and Gold beaches.
- RedWolves, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3It was also made on Omaha beach which the Americans landed not the British.
- mikefitz2, on 10/11/2007, -14/+1i wish the uk would just float away never to be seen or heard of again
- vdxc, on 09/29/2008, -3/+6You do realise that America wouldn't be what it is today without all of its founding nations (France, UK, Spain). Heck, the English language originated in England - amazingly. And, the fact remains that Britain is one of the US Government's best allies.
- whataboutdave, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4The English language is English? Well I'll be damned.
- maffiou, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1 Mike: The Uk is cool... and you're not...
- vdxc, on 09/29/2008, -3/+6You do realise that America wouldn't be what it is today without all of its founding nations (France, UK, Spain). Heck, the English language originated in England - amazingly. And, the fact remains that Britain is one of the US Government's best allies.
- datatribe, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2I'm extremely fond of Great Britain in general and England in particular. But, my dear zykt0n, comments such as that invite only bitter replies. India, Pakistan, Iran and Iraq I'm sure will never forget the British influence. While we may sit from afar and approvingly nod our heads at the western influence the British Empire imparted on other parts of the world, the impact on the native cultures is permanent and long lasting. Only in recent years has the west started to use Mumbai, Beijing and other less western centric pronunciations and spellings for cities once portrayed to the world by a dominant British view.
I'm sure, too, the French will never forget the hundreds of years of war with Britain that preceded WW II. I've been particularly harsh on the French in recent years myself, mostly because of their social experimentation that has nearly ruined their economy. Shame on me for confusing the immediate effects of a poor government with the hearts and minds of the people of a nation. - zmjone2992, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1newsflash....brits participated in d day too
- BERT384201, on 10/11/2007, -0/+10This gesture was made on the American Independence Day. Not a British national holiday.
- bobcrotch, on 10/11/2007, -20/+4Le Siiiiigh, We give up!
- mjm7496, on 10/11/2007, -7/+0You mean, "surrender"?
- HarryBauzonia, on 10/11/2007, -3/+7Ignorant.
If England or the United States had been accessible to the Germans by land we would have been rolled over too.....just like France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, Austria, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Greece, etc etc etc.
We came close to losing several times as it was. Let's not forget that the Germans were pretty formidable AND they took great pains to bypass French forces in order to get into the country. - Pilot85, on 10/11/2007, -3/+2...are we talking same amount of land area accessible or closer to Germany accessible? Because 1.) we have a LOT more land mass to take - more like Russia than any European country. And 2.) Our industry was already gearing up for war shortly before we were attacked. So no, we would not have been "rolled over". As fast as the Germans moved, they would not have been able to take and hold the U.S. that quickly.
- Wartz, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4Our military was in far worse shape pre war than russia's. The only armed force that was even close to being fairly strong was the navy.
- bobcrotch, on 10/11/2007, -8/+1France might never forget, but we'll also never forget that you ran away and we saved your nation.
You're welcome, frenchy.
- greendalek, on 10/11/2007, -5/+82I know there's this popular American-centric view of the French being innate cowards and ready to surrender at a moment's notice, but stop and consider that view for a moment. It stems from the fact that the French GOVERNMENT surrendered to Germany. That's the government, NOT the people. Ever read about the French resistance? Ordinary folks, teamed up to kick the invaders out no matter what it took. THAT's a profile in courage. Go do some research, find out about real bravery. Sure, the government may have chickened out, but the French people sure didn't. Very inspiring stuff. I assure you it will definitely NOT match up with Bill O'Reilly's or Ann Coulter's dogma.
- blackjack75, on 10/11/2007, -0/+12Well the french government surrendered because their army was basically wiped out. It was actually a reasonable action at the time. This prevented the germans from storming the south of France like they did with the North and allowed soldiers who wanted to fight to regroup in Africa.
- RedWolves, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3The mistake the french made in WWII is that they relied on the Germans to come smack into the Maginol Line that was built after WWI. But the Germans went around them through Belium and crushed them in just six weeks. Amazingly the Line was the last stronghold that was left at the time the French Goverment surrendered and the remaining forces were ordered to come out after the surrender was signed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maginot_Line
- RedWolves, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3The mistake the french made in WWII is that they relied on the Germans to come smack into the Maginol Line that was built after WWI. But the Germans went around them through Belium and crushed them in just six weeks. Amazingly the Line was the last stronghold that was left at the time the French Goverment surrendered and the remaining forces were ordered to come out after the surrender was signed.
- aadyss, on 10/11/2007, -8/+2Even when a Progressive tries to say something nice, they always fall back on their old ally...hatred of somethig or someone.
- Pilot85, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3Nothing matches up with Bill O's or Ann's dogma.
- bobcrotch, on 10/11/2007, -8/+5Yeah well as soon as people stop generalizing Americans I'll stop generalizing Europeans.
You start first.- Jook, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Not exactly how it works...you can't expect people to treat you better treat them. Old Golden Rule thing here: Treat others the way you wish others would treat you. No religion, dogma, rhetoric, opinion, judgment, necessary...if everyone would do it, and look after themselves for doing it, the world would be different.
Unfortunately, we have people like you who always want other people to, "start first".
I, for one, will make a conscious effort to not pre-judge and to always give others the respect I wish in return.
And a hearty thanks to all freedom loving people of the world who have sacrificed for that freedom. You are not forgotten
- Jook, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Not exactly how it works...you can't expect people to treat you better treat them. Old Golden Rule thing here: Treat others the way you wish others would treat you. No religion, dogma, rhetoric, opinion, judgment, necessary...if everyone would do it, and look after themselves for doing it, the world would be different.
- twinklyJesus, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3It doesn't explain the Vichy government or the fact that 3 weeks after D Day, we were still fighting FRENCH troops, though,
- datatribe, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2Speaking as perhaps an older and wiser hard-core conservative than I once was, I'm seeing more often that the populace of the world values some pretty common things: personal freedom, less government screw ups, peace with our neighbors, the freedom to say what we are thinking without being told it's illegal or a hate crime, the freedom to trade goods and services for a fair wage without the government telling us there needs to be a tariff to make it more fair (to them?)... I wonder aloud, perhaps prematurely, is there a future possible, not of anarchy, but of people coming together to govern themselves on the basis of simple peace and basic freedom?
Sadly at this point in history, fear and violence, might makes right, do it our way or die mentalities rule the world - and probably always will. It requires that people be willing to die for simple peace and freedom in order to keep these violent ideologies from controlling the world. The french resistance fighters and the volunteering youth of America today share a common vision of being willing to die for freedom. We can point our fingers at the ruling bodies all we want and complain, but as the saying goes - 4 fingers are pointing back at us - the electorate - the masses that outnumber the ruling class. We allow it - we tolerate it. It's up to us to make a change for the better if we want to see things improve. I'm not overly optimistic we'll ever have wide-spread agreement on how to accomplish that though.
- blackjack75, on 10/11/2007, -0/+12Well the french government surrendered because their army was basically wiped out. It was actually a reasonable action at the time. This prevented the germans from storming the south of France like they did with the North and allowed soldiers who wanted to fight to regroup in Africa.
- UtopiaInTheSky, on 10/11/2007, -38/+1You're damn right, Fascists! Keep remembering.
- nalen33, on 08/29/2008, -5/+0Oh noes. You said the "F" word...
Prepare to be Dugg down! - Ford_Prefect2nd, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4 Oh my God... you are calling a French person a Fascist....amazing... do you even know what the word means.... the irony of an American (heavy Right wing) calling the French (heavy Left) a fascist. Not that left is good and right is bad, but the word Fascist means something. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascist And few words could describe the French worse.
- nalen33, on 08/29/2008, -5/+0Oh noes. You said the "F" word...
- halligan00, on 10/11/2007, -2/+14"Remember Lafayette!"
- whataboutdave, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Imagine if 200 years ago he could have known that the America he helped create would one day do so much to liberate his homeland. I find it extremely moving that we have always remembered him in America, and that the French will always remember D-Day. We share a unique bond.
- skankyBacon, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1"I have come to have sex with your family."
/izzard
- dgh1973, on 10/11/2007, -16/+44Anti-French sentiment is completely stupid and very right wing. So people are pissed because they saw through our invasion of Iraq as a ploy to get oil... good on the French for knowing better.
Remember General Lafayette, remember the statue of liberty.- heliox, on 10/11/2007, -6/+5How much oil did we get chief?
- art42, on 10/11/2007, -1/+7Last I heard US corporations will be getting about 80% of the profits from Iraqi oil.
Here's an older article: Bush's Petro-Cartel Almost Has Iraq's Oil http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/43045/
- art42, on 10/11/2007, -1/+7Last I heard US corporations will be getting about 80% of the profits from Iraqi oil.
- Danial, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Not always. Anti-French sentiment a lot of times is based on conviction, rather than blind hatred.
Refer to the anti-French sentiment in AUS and NZ during the 90's for further proof, as earlier stated.- maffiou, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Wasn't that due to the rainbow warrior incident ?(what happened to the compensation money by the way ?)
And then the nukes incident in the pacific...
- maffiou, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Wasn't that due to the rainbow warrior incident ?(what happened to the compensation money by the way ?)
- awhiteflame, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1And, you know, the fact that they were making money off of Iraq so they didn't want the invasion to take place.
- heliox, on 10/11/2007, -6/+5How much oil did we get chief?
- G-RaZoR, on 10/11/2007, -7/+9Call me crazy, but why did they do this on July 4th, and not June 6th? Makes sense to do a D-Day memorial on, well, D-Day.
- LowRentDiggs, on 10/11/2007, -0/+10I'm guessing that it's because the French had a hand in American independence so they intertwine the events.
- Albionshores, on 10/11/2007, -0/+12Maybe on a day that America reflects on itself and throws a little party this was the French way of saluting their American cousins. A form of international pat on the back and a merci-beaucoup on an American day.
- blackjack75, on 10/11/2007, -0/+12Not to mention it would be quite disrectful to mention only the US on June 6th. I am pretty sure, the british, canadians and others wouldn't mind being mentionned.
- HarryBauzonia, on 10/11/2007, -2/+11They were honoring our independence day.
- nalen33, on 08/29/2008, -3/+0*Insert sarcastic French-bashing comment here*
Like - "They were probably too full from all of their cake to get out of the house in time for June 6th!" - diggyme, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1It is exactly because they are French that they do things like this. Don't apply reason to it.
If they truly cared about freedom, they would do something to stop their own citizens from rioting and burning cars in the street. (it is of particular note that these french citizens are also Muslim)
- TheMuncher, on 10/11/2007, -1/+47Hah, this is kinda of an odd thing. I was on a student ambassador trip over the summer with a program called people to people, and we happened to be passing through Normandy the day that this was scheduled to happen. Well someone who was helping to coordinate the chain found out we were in town and invited us, along with another P2P group from Georgia down to participate. We came in looking for something to do, and since the other delegation was already assigned to be the ones opening the US flag, my delegation (23 from Alabama) got to hold and open the French flag whenever the helicopters flew over. After we had all walked out on the beach and spent about an hour opening and reopening the flag so the helicopter could get a good shot we were all taken back to the staging area where we were told how much of a big deal this was and how we should tell our parents to watch the news for it. Two days later after everyones parents have recorded a few channels of the news no one can find anything about it, and none of us had been able to find out what had happened to any of it until we got back and found this website. We're the kids in blazers holding the french flag, I'm top left corner for the opening.
- fugazi, on 10/11/2007, -17/+1You actually did that. What the hell were you thinking 10,000 dollars for a damn trip.
- fashionfox, on 10/13/2007, -0/+0Merci à vous - Thank you.
- gasgirl, on 10/11/2007, -8/+16There are a lot if Americans that hate the U.S. right now too. Not because we aren't patriotic and not because we hate where we live but because of the mistakes our government (and those who voted for this government) have and continue to make. May change be in our near future. P.S. I have only been to France once but I will certainly return some day. It is simply a marvelous place.
- HarryBauzonia, on 10/11/2007, -9/+6Just stay there next time.
Please.......since you "hate" the rest of us and all.- hfactor, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3Wake up.
- utilitarianist, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0Unfortunately, secessionism is prohibited by the constitution, so we're stuck with America, and have to make it the best we can regardless of the circumstances.
- roodammy44, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Mistakes?
Whoops, we invaded another country! Didn't mean to do that!
- HarryBauzonia, on 10/11/2007, -9/+6Just stay there next time.
- RollFizzlebeef, on 10/11/2007, -12/+16You'll notice that the only retards who talk about hating the French are the ones who get their panties in a twist about people hating America and treat the Statue of Liberty like a religious shrine.
American conservatives know they're a dying breed (thank goodness), that's why the ones in office now act so desperately to maintain power.- Gerfervonbob, on 10/11/2007, -1/+5Conservatives are not dying. Right-wing republicans that call themselves conservative are.
- aadyss, on 10/11/2007, -9/+2Gasp....gasp....gasp......Oops, still here and doing well, thank you. Sorry to disappoint. Well, not really.
- nalen33, on 08/29/2008, -0/+4I agree with Gerf, stupid right-wing nuts who try to pass themselves off as Conservatives are a dying breed. Those of us who actually read both sides of a story, get all of the facts we can about a topic, and can make a decision for ourselves are still around, although our numbers on both sides of the aisle seem to be dwindling more and more each day.
- RollFizzlebeef, on 10/11/2007, -3/+2I've yet to meet a conservative who wasn't an extremist - either religiously or economically so.
I'm guessing "conservative intellectuals" like yourselves distance yourselves from the fundamentalists and the rednecks, yet still worship the cults of Ayn Rand and Ronald Reagan, insisting mixed economies (like ours, and every other country's on the planet) run completely capitalist. That's just as bad an idea than anything Marx came up with.
Look at the ever-widening income gap in this country and the *****-up health care system and then see how you sound preaching libertarian conservatism. I'm guessing, like I said, like an extremist.
- RollFizzlebeef, on 10/11/2007, -3/+2I've yet to meet a conservative who wasn't an extremist - either religiously or economically so.
- nalen33, on 08/29/2008, -2/+0Stupid dupe Submit. Make a delete option Digg!
P.S. Digg down for stupidity. :o - Archimboldo, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Although I'm conservative, I have to agree about your statement on hatred. Disagreement - even passionate disagreement - is fine. Hatred crosses the line into unreasonableness and blind emotion. And I don't care if it is hatred for Chiraq or Bush. (Sarkozy is still in his honeymoon period, so he's out of the equation now).
- kreatre2007, on 10/11/2007, -1/+33The drive by media isn't interested in promoting positive stories like this. That's why we never hear about it. Thank God for the internet. Otherwise, the only news we would get is what THEY want us to get.
- zebbie, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Five corporations dude , the media you get to see is ***** anyway. The media everywhere else is "Ignore what your government is doing look at the stupid American government" whereas America's is "arent we doing well...look at those stupid "
- LoonyLuke, on 10/11/2007, -0/+8Full article: http://www.ambafrance-us.org/news/statmnts/2007/omaha-beach_2007.asp
'Official' page: http://www.malaurie.com/frenchamericanfriendship/index1.php?id=85 - disabled4diggin, on 10/11/2007, -11/+4i love this wonderful gesture but... PHOTOSHOP???
http://www.malaurie.com/frenchamericanfriendship/omahaevent.htm
thats from http://www.thefrenchwillneverforget.com/
check out the people surrounding the letters, they dont move at all in the time it took to shuffle around thousands of people, not to mention the difference in the amount of people needed for those letters (also look at the waves). are these 2 pics SUPPOSED to appear shopped? cause they obviously are.- evil-doer, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2those pictures look like obvious photoshops, but the others dont.
- Piyh, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Too bad you got the top link from www.thefrenchwillneverforget.com. OMG THE SAME PIC ON THE SAME SITE WTF HAX
- HarryBauzonia, on 10/11/2007, -1/+42Here's a link to the whole story.
http://www.ambafrance-us.org/news/statmnts/2007/omaha-beach_2007.asp
To French people: Thank you. That's a beautiful gesture. - kd1s, on 10/11/2007, -14/+6The French do appear to be unusually enlightened. The only thing I do lament is the Muslim takeover of France since the Muslims promise to undo centuries of progress. Those very same Muslims take full advantage of French society though, including the five weeks vacation, subsidized child care, national medical insurance, etc.
And if you don't think it's happening in the U.S, I suggest you look at Minneapolis. It's odd, the Muslims tend to go for middle America.- Albionshores, on 10/11/2007, -4/+4Many French people are muslim and since the French have 'Laicite' a staunch sepration of church from state, and a European human rights convention firmly in place. Islam can no more take advantage than any other group can.
Please stop trying to do Islam what the Nazis did to Judaism.
Oh and the French have literally the finest healthcare system in the world so I wouldn't worry on that score either- aadyss, on 10/11/2007, -5/+1In the pre-world war II era, you are absolutely correct. The Jews were in many different countries of the world blowing up people in the name of Jihad. And who cares about the French healthcare. Too many other things going on...called life.
- Albionshores, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2Instead of painting all Jews as Suicide bombers the Nazis painted Jews as money lenders and land lords, economists that had cost them the first world war - blood was literally put on their hands. You're just painting Muslims another way from what the Nazis painted the Jews, but you are still painting them.
- nalen33, on 08/29/2008, -2/+0You know, I tried to find a link of a newspaper article, something from the Pre-WWII era showing a Jew blowing up a marketplace, or placing a bomb in a car in the name of God, some similar act of terror. Came up empty.
I know it was a different time, but there weren't acts like the ones committed by some sects of Islam in many countries of the world that can be compared to anything the Jews did. Since when is being a landlord and lending money evil? I always thought that was called capitalism.- aadyss, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0Come on. That was sarcasm about the Jews blowing up stuff.
- Albionshores, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Because at that 'different time' economists and bureaucrats were blamed by German soldiers for Germany losing the war, many of the front line troops felt betrayed. To say that all German Jews were bureaucrats, industry leaders and wealthy is ridiculous but the few that were were enough to stigmatise the whole. To say that suicide bombers and terrorists are indicative of Islam is equally ridiculous but that is exactly what you are doing; painting a billion people with the same brush as the actions of a few thousand.
- nalen33, on 08/29/2008, -2/+0You know, I tried to find a link of a newspaper article, something from the Pre-WWII era showing a Jew blowing up a marketplace, or placing a bomb in a car in the name of God, some similar act of terror. Came up empty.
- Pilot85, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2you lost me. What are you talking about?
- IceGlass, on 10/11/2007, -2/+6Mulsim pay tax like others people, they build France like others people, they help people like others people, the participe in France culture, science, history...
I am french and proud of it, i live in France and i am Muslim, thank you to remenber me that we live in a world with stupid people like you, i was in a way to forget it.- HarryBauzonia, on 10/11/2007, -4/+3Ok......did you muslims pay for all the cars and buses you burned and the windows you broke as well? Did you even say "I'm sorry"? Will you try to stop hating Jews?
Y'all have some issues to take care of before you can regain the respect of civilized people.- hfactor, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3I don´t know what american news told you about the 2005 riots, but if they got you to agree with the French government, they must have been lying a lot.
- HarryBauzonia, on 10/11/2007, -4/+3Ok......did you muslims pay for all the cars and buses you burned and the windows you broke as well? Did you even say "I'm sorry"? Will you try to stop hating Jews?
- Albionshores, on 10/11/2007, -4/+4Many French people are muslim and since the French have 'Laicite' a staunch sepration of church from state, and a European human rights convention firmly in place. Islam can no more take advantage than any other group can.
- tito13kfm, on 10/11/2007, -14/+2Al Bundy: "Am I alone in hating the French?"
Crowd: "No!"
AB: "I thought not." - mashw, on 10/11/2007, -4/+34I'm a Brit and any time I try and explain why I think America is the best nation on Earth to someone here I get disparaging and flippant remarks. America and what it stands for inspires me, it really does. We here in England are far too concerned with governing and less about exercising our freedom. Circumstance of birth should not be a source of pride in my opinion, so patriotism is blind following.
Brit's resentment about Americans saving the allied effort in WW2 is uncalled for aswell, the brave men and women here would have probably successfully defended Britain from invasion but the rest of the European countries didn't have the advantage of being an island. Be proud to be American you Americans, criticise the hell out of yourselves but be glad you were born there, don't wear the maple leaf on your bags wear the stars and stripes.- HarryBauzonia, on 10/11/2007, -1/+10Thank you for that.
I don't think Americans and Brits ought to beat up on each other since so many of us are blood kin anyway. - aadyss, on 10/11/2007, -1/+11Amen brother. Always have liked the Brits.
- humanerror, on 04/03/2008, -0/+17"Circumstance of birth should not be a source of pride"
Well said. It all comes down to that, doesn't it. If everyone realized this we'd get along so much better. - LeadOffMan, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6Thank you mashw. Long live Mother England!!
- DamnLogins, on 10/11/2007, -1/+5From a Brit to the whole US... "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!". What you did for us is beyond measure.
I don't agree with much that I hear coming from Washington these days, but "meh!". Friends do dumb stuff sometimes. Our loyalty and friendship is with the PEOPLE who sacrificed for us.
One friend of the US here, standing front and centre. - Saiing, on 10/11/2007, -3/+6"America and what it stands for inspires me"
It inspires a lot of Americans too. Sadly though, right now, most of those things are slowly being destroyed by an out of control government, hell bent on removing any trace of those great things the US once stood for. - FonWin, on 10/11/2007, -1/+5What the brits did in wwii was awe inspiring. They could have easily folded, but instead decided to stand tall. I think it's in their nature.
- Indyanna, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1I just want to add my name to this group. I am a huge fan of British literature, British history, British accents, and my #1 hero from history is (who else?) Winston Churchill. I've often wondered which side I would've been on, if I had been alive in 1776. :-) Long live Great Britain!
- HarryBauzonia, on 10/11/2007, -1/+10Thank you for that.
- fcbfan, on 10/11/2007, -5/+2viva la resistance!
- darny, on 10/11/2007, -13/+3SAY IT FRENCHIE...IT'S CHOWDER!
- DangerCollie, on 10/11/2007, -1/+25This whole thing with France was overblown from the beginning. If you spend any time in Paris you'll see the memorial to US airmen and other reminders that the French remember the sacrifices we made on their behalf. Like we should remember they came to our aid at a critical time in our history. We've had our differences, too. But overall we're more friends than not.
Only the ignorant twits on the extreme right, who seem to have all the answers for damn all everything, can't seem to see our history with the French the sometimes complicated but normally friendly.- darny, on 10/11/2007, -3/+1Forcing us to change it from 'French Fries' to 'Freedom Fries" is hardly a sacrifice.
- plaing, on 10/11/2007, -5/+2
hell, americans are still scarifying the french.- nosferatux, on 10/11/2007, -1/+0why?
- plaing, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2it was a joke that nobody got, from the site:
"FRANCE WILL NEVER FORGET”, aimed at honoring the fallen American heroes who scarified their lives to liberate France at the end of WW II."
'scarified...'
- plaing, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2it was a joke that nobody got, from the site:
- nosferatux, on 10/11/2007, -1/+0why?
- khiz, on 10/11/2007, -1/+12I told my kids to make sure they understand how appreciative the French are. Digg it and spread the word.
- blackjack75, on 10/11/2007, -8/+3Good thing that the tide came just in time for the photo to wash up the line below:
"that you're all a bunch of assholes!"
Come on. Someone had to say it. - HanSolo69, on 10/11/2007, -12/+3Don't forget ,we also gave the French a lovely thing called french fries.
- ByteGuerilla, on 10/11/2007, -3/+7French fries are Belgian in origin.
- vdxc, on 09/29/2008, -1/+2And a frenchman designed the Statue of Liberty, but you don't see the French asking for you to praise them for it. We're all one species and we can share across political borders.
- turbomofo, on 10/11/2007, -3/+1Truly an ignorant statement. How did you even manage to procure a computer for yourself sir, much less figure out how to turn it on?
- HanSolo69, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1How did you ever manage to miss such blatant use of sarcasm?
- dhVyse, on 10/11/2007, -3/+24Dispite all our anti-french jokes and 'freedom fries' etc, I still like to believe that most Americans know France is a true ally, and the French people a good people. Any nation that gives a gift as great as the Statue of Liberty is a fine nation in my book.
- darny, on 10/11/2007, -5/+2Re: Statue: That happened over a hundred years ago. Back then we had good relations with Cuba.
- whataboutdave, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5The ideals of freedom never expire.
- UNL1M1T3D, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Good call.
- awhiteflame, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2It's actually quite an interesting story how it came to be. It was just one guy who wanted to set up the project. I suggest looking it up for an interesting read.
- darny, on 10/11/2007, -5/+2Re: Statue: That happened over a hundred years ago. Back then we had good relations with Cuba.
- turbomofo, on 10/11/2007, -1/+32Let us not forget that France is our oldest ally. I've been to those beaches in Normandie and in those towns nearby I saw the American flag up and down the streets.
- nwoantibody, on 10/11/2007, -10/+30I love when stupid Americans talk ***** about the French and then go cry at the Statue of Liberty from pride of being American.
- mousebite, on 10/11/2007, -5/+1Too bad the French can't be proud of being...well...
- zebbie, on 10/11/2007, -1/+5Yep yep , calling your french fries "freedom fries" was a pussy move, dynamiting the statue of liberty would have been the action of men! lol
- alexcroox, on 10/11/2007, -10/+5would be nice to honour those british that stepped in to help before the yanks decided to..
- turbomofo, on 10/11/2007, -6/+7would be nice if you could stay on topic. of course the british deserve a whole hell of a lot of credit...but what the hell does your comment have to do with this story? jackass.
- Albionshores, on 10/11/2007, -1/+10I take it you missed it then. Head east down the coast from where the photograph was taken and on June 6th and you will come to Beach-heads Gold and Sword where the British fought and the French will wave in your face all the Union Flags you want, for as long as you can stand it.
Canadian and the Overseas Commonwealth forces largely took Juno whilst the Americans took Utah and Omaha. Kinda makes sense on the 4th July for the French to go to the place where American soldiers fell to commemorate their sacrifice.
- dalexandruz, on 10/11/2007, -21/+2american mistakes? ***** you. because of france ***** up vietnam before the 60's and leaving it that way the u.s had to deal with ordeal afterwards. france ***** up rwanda, armed the hutu which mass murdered the tutsi's. put in the hutu and tutsi mind there are 2 different groups not the same ppl. france just like any other nation is looking out for itself and doesnt care if it arms groups who will later massacre ppl.
- RollFizzlebeef, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3I don't know about France's history with Rwanda, but it sounds exactly like America's dabbling in the Middle East, don't it?
- JoeyProfit, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0Rwanda was a belgian colony. ***** stick. They speak french there too.
- neiltc13, on 10/11/2007, -16/+8France will never forget the shame the USA has now brought on the world.
- whataboutdave, on 10/11/2007, -4/+2... but I WILL forget your idiotic comment. Buried for not knowing your history.
- darny, on 10/11/2007, -3/+3wow, this whole thread seems to be made up of ostrich flag-wavers. I agree with neiltc13. We shamed ourselves and NO ONE should forget the atrocities committed by our government. It can never happen again!
- empirefalling, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3Shame, murder, barbarism, poverty, war...
- empirefalling, on 10/11/2007, -4/+2Shall we add racism to the list of crimes committed by the Americans?
- empirefalling, on 10/11/2007, -4/+2A extravagant event in history. Before we pat the Americans on the back…shall we look at the truth of the American and British Imperialists and they’re war against Humanity?
The second imperialist war--was not an accident; it did not result from the will of this or that dictator. It was predicted long ago. It derived its origin inexorably from the contradiction of international capitalist interests...The cause of the war was the rivalry between the old wealthy empires, Great Britain and France, and belated imperialist plunderers, Germany and Italy.
U.S. capitalism came up against the same problems that pushed Germany in 1914 on the path of war. The world was divided. It had to be redivided. For Germany it was a question of 'organizing Europe.' The United States had to 'organize' the world. Humanity was brought face to face with the volcanic eruption of American Imperialism.
Before the U.S. dropped the Atomic bomb, the Japanese had actually offered terms of surrender. Naval Admiral William Leahy even admitted after the war in 1946.
Truman claimed that if he didn't use the bomb, he would have to order a large-scale invasion of Japan, risking two million American casualties. He was lying. In reality, Japan was on the verge of collapse. The economic blockade had choked off its supplies. The country already had been bombed to pieces. Secretary of War Henry Stimson told Truman, "I was a little fearful that before we could get ready, the air force might have Japan so thoroughly bombed out that the new weapon would not have a fair background to show its strength." Truman responded to this statement by laughing and saying that "he understood." Monster.
On August 6, 1945, Truman dropped the bomb without warning on Hiroshima, destroying the entire city and killing 100,000 civilians. He then bombed Nagasaki three days later, leveling it and killing 70,000 people. Japan surrendered to the U.S. five days after the bombing of Nagasaki under the very same terms they had discussed with the U.S. before the bombs were dropped. With the impact of radiation poisoning, the U.S. murdered nearly half a million civilians for the sake of The American Empire. Monsters.
The White American ruling class extended it’s racism to Blacks inside the U.S. military. The American military maintained segregated units and systematically denied promotion to Blacks during the Second World War. Secretary of War Stimson justified his denial of field commands to Blacks by saying, "Leadership is not embedded in the Negro race yet; trying to make them into combat officers would be a disaster." As a result, the 700,000 Blacks who fought in the Second World War were restricted to the worst jobs with the lowest pay and were subjected to murder within the ranks of soldiers for being Black.
By far the most outrageous U.S. violation of its own democratic rhetoric was its internment of 120,000 Japanese Americans in concentration camps during the war. Right after the small harassment of Pearl Harbor, the FBI rounded up and jailed 1,375 Japanese Americans on the West Coast for the crime of being Japanese. General John Dewitt, who organized the arrests, stooped to the vilest racism to justify denying Japanese Americans every civil liberty on the books. He fumed that "the Japanese race is an enemy race. It makes no difference whether he is American or not."21 A congressman said, "I'm for catching every Japanese in America, Alaska and Hawaii now and putting them in concentration camps." Sound familiar? Shall we withdraw that pat on the American back and condemn the murder of millions brought on by the Americans and their goal of World Domination??? There is so much more truth to be dispersed…
- funkmachine, on 10/11/2007, -13/+3"Funny, whenever a French person does something anti-american, we hear about it. But when 2500 French do something pro-American..."
Funny how that's entirely inaccurate. Hence, buried. - SifooD, on 10/11/2007, -7/+4I bet the new pro-American French President had something to do with that. =)
- charlietuna, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1Good point!
- whataboutdave, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3They have annual memorials to all the Allied forces. Not just this year and not just the Americans.
- gmavz, on 10/11/2007, -5/+2Never Forget La Lune!!
http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/28490/ - nemojonze, on 10/11/2007, -2/+13Vive Le France!
- SimonGray, on 10/11/2007, -1/+8Vive La France, it's feminine :P
- ChiefUCF, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Vive la liberte.
- sk8ordiemofo, on 10/11/2007, -18/+3Respect. France is still freakin' lame though.
- cryptomystic, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2because that's what Foxnews told you.
tool.
- cryptomystic, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2because that's what Foxnews told you.
- kiwiboyus, on 10/11/2007, -5/+19Great article. You know the Aussies and us Kiwis were there too and we lost a lot of our young men too. Just saying.
- HarryBauzonia, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5Yes, but please don't feel left out over this. They did it to mark American independence day.
- charlietuna, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Credit where credit is due. I checked in Wikipedia and the term derived from Brokaw's book "The Greatest Generation" should really collectively apply regardless of nationality. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greatest_Generation
- HarryBauzonia, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5Yes, but please don't feel left out over this. They did it to mark American independence day.
-
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