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Thanks for the background. The politics were unbelievable. In 1982, I heard a lecture by a German historian who still couldn't that FDR would let his ole' buddy Joe have Eastern Europe. (Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it a matter of "finders, keepers"? That what the Russians "liberated," they took, and what we "liberated," we took? Whic is why hundreds of thousands of Germans fled across the iced-over bay in the North Sea, to get "liberated" by the Americans.)

Now, I can understand coddling the Brits -- to a point. But the French?!

DeGaulle has to have been the greatest con man in 20th century history. Didn't he essentially name himself the head of the French military in exile? And getting treated as an "ally" and "victor," after the war ...! And he stabbed us in the back, just as Chirac has been doing for the past two years.

Yes..you are spot on as they say about Duh! Gaul

He did name himslf..and tried to do a coup of sorts under the U.S. Eurpoean command.

Roosevelt saw thru this..blocked him by spltting the Free French forces with De Gaul and another miltary commander.[Who De Gaul despised].

Hence the tantraum back in England..Roosevelts impatience.

There is a myriad of garbage that History denotes ..but is seldom discussed openly.

Like the Families from Sicily and Italy which worked mob and dock realities...the U.S. actually went into Sicily to put the formers back in place.
I guess the same occured as per Italy.

No foolin here...the mob made their desires known..the U.S. Navy needed the docks to be proficient.

Some Navy types in high places were connected to the mob..or did their bidding via extortion.

If one tracks the recent history of Internet hacking and fiscal extortion..one would find the Russian mob in the U.S. ,,throw in Japanese and Chinese tongs or gangs.

America has got to cozy with the nations they have met...now..they undermine America..exploit the numerous advantages they never had back home.

Churchill saw Russias Gambit....Macarthur saw China.

America has zenithed them all in stratagem..but the cost has been beyond imagination.

Now the Third world is clawing at America...and the Corporate crowd is drooling to new bell ringing.

DeGaulle has to have been the greatest con man in 20th century history. Didn't he essentially name himself the head of the French military in exile?

There was some contention for his heading the Free French military effort from General LeClerc, successfully continuing the resistance to the French surrender from his posting in Cameroon at a time when Degaulle was vice secretary of State of War in the last reshuffle of the Reynaud cabinet. But LeClerc and later Massu, then a captain supported DeGaulle, and that was pretty much that, though I recall a French Admiral-Darlan?- who had to be removed from the scene after General Mark Clark had promised him recognition of his claims to be regarded as head of the French government aronnd Christmas '42/ New Years '43 when the *Torch* landings in North Africa were taking place.

-archy-/-