D-Day? France Preferred Us to the U.S. Even Then, Says German Veteran

The Telegraph ^ | May 30, 2004 | Tony Paterson

[Gkubly]

I agree I don't think we invaded France soley to liberate them. It was just a front to advance on Germany to bring the Third Reich down.

[jnarcus]

Gee what a dufus!!! The reason that DDay is viewed from the Allies point of view is cause it was our operation and we were busy kicking NAZI butt out of conquered lands. The fact that there were collaborators only says the French are fundamentally cowards. I really am sick to death of the European sensibilties that allow for things like the Holocast but are offended when freedom is defended

[VaBthang4]

Geez...old man just die already.

[Bringbackthedraft]

"I think the war-oriented pictures I remember the most are the ones of enemies from years past sitting down and having a nice chat." Yeah, especially the ones from the Jap POW camps.

[Condor51]

The Free French Resistance was the only group of WWII veterans whose numbers kept growing every year after the war ended.

Yeah, because La Résistance was full of communists. But that tiny fact is very seldom mentioned in the 'media'. However sometimes it slips out on the History Channel with interviews of old FRENCH communists who were in La Résistance.

[Condor51]

"Jap POW camps"

With all due respect, I think you mean Jap DEATH Camps. Fewer Allied POW's made it back alive from 'jap POW camps' than German camps. Only Russia killed more POW's than Japan.

[thathamiltonwoman]

If all the French who claim to have fought with the resistance really had they could've fought the Germans off themselves.

[dfwgator]

We should have traded Poland for France at Yalta.

[hemogoblin]

This article seems to serve the growing purpose of trying to turn the whole world against the U.S.

It's fascinating though. I wonder if Herr Gockel would have preferred to serve on Ze Eastern Front, where there was some SERIOUS payback going on for those wholesome German lads.

[Oatka]

(Many would agree with Churchill's comment that the Hun is always at your throat or at your feet).

The first thing that came to mind when I read this was the old Arab proverb "Kiss the hand you cannot bite."

[americanbychoice2]

What do you expect from a German with the name of Gockel(Rooster)?
Isn't the "Rooster", or Chicken the French Mascot? :)

[ampat]

The germans were brutal when they occupied France. Having lived in France for 4 years in the late 50's and early 60's, I can tell you that France preferred the U.S. to Germany.

[ampat]

To continue my previous post, I'm sure many german soldiers were nice people doing what they were ordered to. The SS troopers and Gestapo on the other hand were vicious. France changed after they kicked us out of the country in 1967 and left NATO. Their growing ties with the Soviet Union changed the French landscape and seeded socialism. Henceforth you have two conflicting societies: capitalism vs a growing socialism, which has gradually changed the relationship between France and the U.S. Also, the WWII generation has died off, and there is a lack of first hand experience and knowledge of those days.