Yesterday, May 8, 2012 marked
the 67th anniversary when
And here we are in France, where people
still remember and give thanks and teach
their children to remember.
the 67th anniversary when
"World War II Allies formally accepted the
unconditional surrender of the armed forces
of Nazi Germany and the end
of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich".
unconditional surrender of the armed forces
of Nazi Germany and the end
of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich".
Throughout France, in all of the
small villages,celebrations honouring those
who died during this war took place
at the village cemeteries and the
monuments aux mort. Again, I was
humbled by the appreciation the
people of France have for the Americans
and Canadians who liberated their country
from the Germans.
Alec and I drove to Ancy sur Moselle where the Association
Thanks GIs arrived with numerous "american" vehicles and men
and women dressed in WWII uniforms.
The French were actually liberated in 1944, so
Alec tells me.
The troop first stopped at the Memorial in
Ancy sur Moselle
and then continued on to the village of
Dorno.
I couldn't help think of my dad who fought
in WWII for the Canadian army, stationed
in Italy and my Uncle who fought
on a destroyer in the South Pacific.
When I saw this gentleman wearing
the Thanks GIs t-shirt I asked to take his
photo, explaining my husband and son were
American and that my father fought in WWII
in Italy. Unfortunately I did not ask his name,
but he was very interested in a Canadian in
France with an American son. His association
helps to educate the youth of France never to
forget how the Americans liberated their country.
Jeff, I bought this t-shirt for you!
After the memorial celebration this young man
said "now you must drink French wine to
celebrate, no? " Qui!
I met an older gentleman at the celebration. We shared
a glass of wine and he told me his story.
"I was 11 years old when the Americans liberated
France. There was much excitement. I walked into
a building, like this one, and I didn't know what was
going on. I saw five men, pinned against
the wall, hands raised. We were all French and I
didn't understand. They didn't use rifles....these men were
brutally cut in half, hauled off to a truck and
more men were pinned against the wall.
Later, I realized that these French men were
collaborators with the Germans, they were milice
and were being put on trial by the local people. It was
French against French. I was a child of 11, I will never
forget what I saw. The Germans were brutal....
but the French were just as bad."
I thought of my dad, trudging through
the trenches of Italy, 26 years old, a small
town boy who never held a rifle before the
war and yet saw atrocities of which he never spoke.
He received a mention in dispatches; an
award to recognize a mention in dispatches from a senior commander for brave or meritorious service, normally in the field.
small villages,celebrations honouring those
who died during this war took place
at the village cemeteries and the
monuments aux mort. Again, I was
humbled by the appreciation the
people of France have for the Americans
and Canadians who liberated their country
from the Germans.
Alec and I drove to Ancy sur Moselle where the Association
Thanks GIs arrived with numerous "american" vehicles and men
and women dressed in WWII uniforms.
The French were actually liberated in 1944, so
Alec tells me.
The troop first stopped at the Memorial in
Ancy sur Moselleand then continued on to the village of
Dorno.
I couldn't help think of my dad who fought
in WWII for the Canadian army, stationed
in Italy and my Uncle who fought
on a destroyer in the South Pacific.
the Thanks GIs t-shirt I asked to take his
photo, explaining my husband and son were
American and that my father fought in WWII
in Italy. Unfortunately I did not ask his name,
but he was very interested in a Canadian in
France with an American son. His association
helps to educate the youth of France never to
forget how the Americans liberated their country.
Jeff, I bought this t-shirt for you!
After the memorial celebration this young man
said "now you must drink French wine to
celebrate, no? " Qui!
I met an older gentleman at the celebration. We shared
a glass of wine and he told me his story.
"I was 11 years old when the Americans liberated
France. There was much excitement. I walked into
a building, like this one, and I didn't know what was
going on. I saw five men, pinned against
the wall, hands raised. We were all French and I
didn't understand. They didn't use rifles....these men were
brutally cut in half, hauled off to a truck and
more men were pinned against the wall.
Later, I realized that these French men were
collaborators with the Germans, they were milice
and were being put on trial by the local people. It was
French against French. I was a child of 11, I will never
forget what I saw. The Germans were brutal....
but the French were just as bad."
I thought of my dad, trudging through
the trenches of Italy, 26 years old, a small
town boy who never held a rifle before the
war and yet saw atrocities of which he never spoke.
He received a mention in dispatches; an
award to recognize a mention in dispatches from a senior commander for brave or meritorious service, normally in the field.
He swam across a river under enemy fire to deliver news of the enemies position.
And here we are in France, where people
still remember and give thanks and teach
their children to remember.
ah ,je comprends mieux ,la milice ,c'est différent ,on ne parle pas de collabo ici,on parle de tortures ,massacres ,le pire du pire,bien sûr ce n'est pas une justification ,mais"à la guerre comme à la guerre",
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bises
rachel
Ha ha, I see that on the pretext of "thanks GIs" you take young men in photo ...
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