Posted on 12/20/2014 9:46:42 PM PST by lowbridge
A website that serves as a platform for former and active duty-military called Warrior Lodge recently translated an op-ed from a French newspaper titled “A Nos Freres D’Armes Americains,” which means “Our American Brothers in Arms.” It details a French ISAF soldier’s personal account of what it’s like to be stationed with U.S. Warfighters in Afghanistan. The French soldier’s account is brimming with emotion and humor.
The Frenchman described the solid build of American military personnel:
[T]hey are all heads and shoulders taller than us and their muscles remind us of Rambo. Our frames are amusingly skinny to them – we are wimps, even the strongest of us – and because of that they often mistake us for Afghans.
He wrote a self-depreciating line, while simultaneously praising the strong moral code of American soldiers:
[T]hey are impressive warriors! We have not come across bad ones, as strange at it may seem to you when you know how critical French people can be.
(Excerpt) Read more at ijreview.com ...
When was this written, recently? I’m happy to read such a glowing report, because, as he said, the French are well known to be critical of all that is not French.
http://www.warriorlodge.com/blogs/news/16298760-a-french-soldiers-view-of-us-soldiers-in-afghanistan
“When was this written, recently?”
The original French article says: “Jeudi 18 septembre 2008” so it’s already more than six years old.
Oh well, Merci Beaucoup anyway. It’s still pretty recent. I’m glad our men left a good impression.
For what its worth to some here. In WWII The French suffered 360,000 dad and wounded in the 6 weeks of the German invasion. The British fled the battlefield from the north side of the German advance and called it a victory at Dunkirk.
In WWI, the UK lost about 800k. The French lost about 1.3 million.
The surrender label is probably more well deserved by the British than the French. Singapore, the runaway from Dunkirk, etc.
Actually, the French held a very heroic rearguard so the British could escape.
My father was in France in 1944 and his experiences mirror that of a very close friend of mine who married a French woman. Country people in France have a great respect and admiration for Americans, and are quite warm and outgoing. Urbanites, especially Parisians, are the people who dislike America/Americans. Very much like the case in the United States itself.
I have been to Paris briefly while in the Navy, like some 35 years ago. I would like to re-visit, see the Louve and other sites before the radical Muslims destroy it all. I may have to miss that chance.I have the same worry about Mt. Rushmore. I want to see it before ISIS or Mexican Drug Gangs try to destroy it, as I expect to happen in the next 20 years.
I read decades ago that when ambushed, the Americans in Vietnam would disperse and set up crossfire, whereas the Russians in Afghanistan would huddle together and wait for reinforcements.
I don’t know if it was true, but that’s what I read.
I was listening to a podcast interview of some guy that was ambushed on the hike from the Ia Drang Valley battle (at landing zone X-Ray) on their way to LZ Albany. We sustained heavy casualties.
But he was telling his guys not to fire randomly (this was their first battle - they had only been on traffic duty before!). As the other teams would be flanked left and right of the ambush zone.
Although I know at LZ x-ray they had a perimeter set up and were hell-bent on keeping it. And they did. Although one group had mistakenly gone far ahead (chasing some VC). They bore heavy casualties - but their presence away from the perimeter prevented several flanking attacks by the VC.
Parisians are shallow. Irony is if you go to school and do not have your Nike Shoes and ball cap, you will be snobed.
Worth a full read.
Paris is like any big city in the world. Busy and filled with unfriendly people. I have always been treated very kindly in my travels to France. And, pretty much anywhere you will find more American hating people in an American college than you will in Paris.
My grandfather was in Argonne France during WW-I. Unfortunately I know nothing about his service there......
My grandfather was also in Argonne in 1918. He was in the 28th Division, First Corps. They were holding down the left end of the American line between St. Menehould and Clermont. Sadly, he had a rheumatic heart and died in the year I was born, so I never knew him.
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