New Toy

[Richard S]

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We are headed to Rome in the morning, should be there about lunch time. Looking forward to Rome.
 Paris was nice, lots of great sights but if you don't speak French most are not overly eager to try and communicate with you.
  I guess they forgot who outfitted them with M4A2 and M4A4 Tanks & modern weapons in 1943.

John:

I attribute much of that attitude of the French today to Charles de Gaulle's anger over not having been recognized by U. S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill prior to D-Day as the legitimate leader of France. That anger on the part of Le Grand Charles was later exacerbated when he was not invited to the Yalta Conference. He carried that resentment to his grave and managed, I believe, to pass some of it along to many of the French people.

In Volume II of his history of World War II, Churchill wrote:

[size=10]He [de Gaulle] felt it was essential to his position before the French people that he should maintain a proud and haughty demeanour towards "perfidious Albion", although in exile, dependent upon our protection and dwelling in our midst. He had to be rude to the British to prove to French eyes that he was not a British puppet. He certainly carried out this policy with perseverance.[/size]

Have a blast in Rome!

[tracker]

Parisians are particularly curt and rude to Americans and Brits, much of it due to the General as described above by Richard. I did notice a friendlier disposition as the mileage grew from "Point Zero." For example, I was driving back to Paris from Luxembourg and ran out of essence because of a faulty gas guage in a Renault. I started walking at 4 p.m., 10 miles outside of Verdun when a young french male stopped, gave me a ride into town, filled up his gas can, and drove me back to where my wife and children were still parked. Once he found out I was an American he became very animated and friendly. He was probably too young to care about De Gaulle.

[yankee2500]

   We met a young French couple, he was a Lawyer and has been to New York City and he said he loves America. They were very nice and pleasant to speak with. We talked with them for quite a while and exchanged phone numbers, we told them if they get to the US again to call us.

[Chief-USN]

The French are an unusual group. The ones that were around for WW II and WW I Loved us for not forcing them to learn German. It was the Generation after WW II that had the attitudes. Kind of like the Cowardly Bully. Acts all mean and tough until he is called on it. And VERY careful only to pick on ones much smaller. It is strange but the French canadians hold much the same animosity towards us. They will avoid speaking English when asked a question.

Chief

[yankee2500]

It seems to be better away from Paris.
 We have been in Beauvais since early this afternoon and just returned from dinner and everyone we have dealt with in this area has been pleasant and helpful. Maybe I'm just getting more tolerant because were leaving in the morning.