Ive not seen or heard much from em on this 75th anniversary. I cant help feel it must make them feel like little squeaky mice.
Got run over in 2 Franco-Prussian Wars, WW1 and WW2 and required foreign(and not long since enemies) to land on their shores just to drive out conquers on their land.
Surely this must get brought up during Brexit discussions?
Billy the Bastard invaded England in 1066 from Normandy. Nearly a millennium later, the favour was returned and an invasion fleet returned to Normandy to free the French. Funny ol game Saint
Billy the Bastard invaded England in 1066 from Normandy. Nearly a millennium later, the favour was returned and an invasion fleet returned to Normandy to free the French. Funny ol game Saint
I recently read the book Home Run, about Allied (mostly British) soldiers and air crew who ended up in Occupied Europe and used the Escape Lines to get home. One soldier left behind at Dunkirk was in Paris on the day France surrendered. He describes being sickened by the sight of French soldiers who were singing and dancing now they no longer had to fight. On the other end of the scale, there were young women, quite often still teenagers, accompanying Allied servicemen across Belgium, the Netherlands and France, knowing full well that if caught they'd be shot. Those women, and the families that housed on-the-run soldiers, were incredibly brave. The French soldiers, less so.
I recently read the book Home Run, about Allied (mostly British) soldiers and air crew who ended up in Occupied Europe and used the Escape Lines to get home. One soldier left behind at Dunkirk was in Paris on the day France surrendered. He describe
I think the reason for that was that France had had to endure 4 years of trench warfare in WW1, and could not face it again.
Once Marshall Manstein launched his Armoured Strike through the Ardennes splitting the British in the North, from the French
in the south, they accepted defeat.
Accept for De Gaulle of course he was always an awkward man.
At the moment the French seem more concerned with us leaving Europe, rather than us invading it on D Day.
I think the reason for that was that France had had to endure 4 years of trench warfare in WW1, and could not face it again.Once Marshall Manstein launched his Armoured Strike through the Ardennes splitting the British in the North, from the Frenchi
Billy the Bastard invaded England in 1066 from Normandy. Nearly a millennium later, the favour was returned and an invasion fleet returned to Normandy to free the French. Funny ol game Saint
They came from Normandy but weren't French. They were Normans ie Vikings.
Billy the Bastard invaded England in 1066 from Normandy. Nearly a millennium later, the favour was returned and an invasion fleet returned to Normandy to free the French. Funny ol game SaintThey came from Normandy but weren't French. They were Norman
In 1939 Britain had a strong navy and air force but not such a good army.
This was a result of deliberate government policy between the wars not to invest in the army - they felt that the public wouldn't tolerate another war on foreign soil after the slaughter of WW1.
Hitler was more wary of the French than the British.
"Thank God for the French army", said Churchill regarding the looming threat from Germany.
In 1939 Britain had a strong navy and air force but not such a good army.This was a result of deliberate government policy between the wars not to invest in the army - they felt that the public wouldn't tolerate another war on foreign soil after the
To be fair when the Germans first attacked in the West in WW!!, the British army did not perform a lot better than the French.
We were driven back to Dunkirk and had to be evacuated by small boats leaving all our equipment behind.
The Germans learnt more from their defeat in WW1 than Britain and France did in winning it.
The Germans invested in new technology particularly the Tank, and adopted new fast moving Blitzkrieg tactics.
When the British, British Commonwealth and United States invaded France on D Day. We had also done the same;
We also had complete control of the air, highly significant
To be fair when the Germans first attacked in the West in WW!!, the British army did not perform a lot better than the French.We were driven back to Dunkirk and had to be evacuated by small boats leaving all our equipment behind.The Germans learnt mo
"Thank God for the French army", said Churchill regarding the looming threat from Germany.
he did not get that one right, in the end we had to be grateful to the Russian army.
"Thank God for the French army", said Churchill regarding the looming threat from Germany.he did not get that one right, in the end we had to be grateful to the Russian army.
To be fair when the Germans first attacked in the West in WW!!, the British army did not perform a lot better than the French
It was one defeat after another for the British Army until 1943. Eg France, Norway, Singapore, Dieppe.
But as stated, there were reasons for this.
From wiki:
During the early years of the Second World War, the British Army suffered defeat in almost every theatre of war in which it was deployed. With mass conscription, the expansion of the British Army was reflected in the formation of larger armies and army groups. From 1943, the larger and better-equipped British Army never suffered a strategic defeat (although there were failures, most notably the Battle of Arnhem, part of Operation Market Garden, in September 1944).
To be fair when the Germans first attacked in the West in WW!!, the British army did not perform a lot better than the FrenchIt was one defeat after another for the British Army until 1943. Eg France, Norway, Singapore, Dieppe.But as stated, there we