Thank you for the links, R3, having read these articles and the one above linked by Archie, I think I could have worded my post better.Despite SATW’s wonderful condemnation of this thread,, I think it’s one of the most fascinating threads that I’ve seen in a while.
Thelaneends1 appears to be fascinated by the man, Charles de Gaulle, whose actions have led TLE to hate the French as a nation. ‘Know thy enemy’ springs to mind.
His opening gambit, ‘Why can’t the French just let Brexit go it’s all over let’s move on’ is seemingly conjured up out of nothing, though clearly triggered by something.
Despite a focus on CDG, his most telling comment, for me at least, was
‘So why do we kiss their arses’
Here speaks a man who feels let down, betrayed even, by ... by who? ... the government ? his fellow countrymen? Only TLE knows the answer to that
His argument for his hatred of the French is simple, though bizarre,
‘De Gaulle took it upon himself to lead the victory parade down the Champs Elysées ignoring the allies that’s why I hate the French’
Despite the evidence presented by the Pathé newsreel, showing him with Churchill that day, it would also appear to be true that, yes, at some point during that day, he did walk alone, ahead of the victory parade.
If this led to TLE’s hatred of CDG then fine, though as Scara, with whom I concur on this, has often remarked, ‘hatred is a very strong emotion’, and whatever CDG was, he was never an enemy to hate.
But to hate a whole nation ... and to hate them in totality ... 77 years after the event ....
TLE’s confused view of history, that his grandfather, ‘amongst many others died on the Normandy beaches for these tossers’, that the French ‘never had a navy’ or that, by removing a statue of Churchill from Parliament Square, Churchill would, somehow be removed from our history only serve to obscure the ‘facts’ that he did get right and he argues that people who responded to his incorrect assertion that CDG ignored the allies at the Victory Parade by presenting evidence to the contrary, should do more research
As an aside, Archibald Knox described the intriguingly named CCF Skiver’s comments about CDG’s attempts to get the French military to invest in the mechanisation of armed forces as ‘Simply not true ... very wide of the mark ... a complete inversion of the history’
From what I’ve read in the last hour, CCF nailed it and it would appear that Rommel and co. took more heed of CDG’s scribblings than did the French political and military leaders. Still you pays your money and takes your choice where history is concerned
I would recommend two articles
1) How De Gaulle rescued France - from the New Yorker magazine
How Charles de Gaulle Rescued France
His life shows that right-wing politics needn’t bend toward absolutism.www.newyorker.com
and
2) The audacity of De Gaulle - from the Hoover Institute
The Audacity of de Gaulle
Henrik Bering on The General: Charles de Gaulle and the France He Saved by Jonathan Fenbywww.hoover.org
(Other publications are available)
To sum up I would suggest that, whatever provoked TLE to make his opening statement, he needs to do some letting go of his own. He may disagree
The French
- Thread starter Thelaneends1
- Start date
tangysider
Well-known member
Even the Bretons hate the French and are proud of their celtic roots
SEASIDE2020
Well-known member
Kurious - I certainly didn't mean to tell anybody exactly what they can and can't be proud of, you have explained a few things that you are proud of there and I certainly don't have any problem with that.
It's not just a matter of not being proud of some things though, it appears as if many can't wait to attack any reference to British historic achievements and that they have a perfect knowledge of everything that Britain - or should I say that they perceived - may have done less than perfectly.
To be honest, some people tell me that I have a negative attitude but I'd prefer to see people championing the good of all our magnificent achievements than endlessly trying to find failings in them or belittle them.
It might be an idea for you to try looking at British women but if not I hope you are fourth time lucky !
SEASIDE2020
Well-known member
It's alright Winnie saying that, he wasn't on the front line.
That's OK Dave, I was expecting an Anglo French rollicking from you to be honest.
I hope you are OK during all this lockdown palaver ?
Matesrates
Well-known member
I remember a programme which said something like 80% of all land in England is owned by descendants of the Normans. Let’s face it, whether the French like it or. Or, many of us have a little French blood in our veins. 
SomersetSeasider
Well-known member
Well, if it’s in the Express it must be true!Even the French don't like the French.
Macron lashes out against his own French citizens in outburst
EMMANUEL MACRON was accused of "vilifying the French people" after the country's president lost it during a recent outburst, as he hit back at criticism of his presidency before calling France "a nation of 66 million prosecutors".www.express.co.uk
Recidivist3
Well-known member
A bit of Viking, tooI remember a programme which said something like 80% of all land in England is owned by descendants of the Normans. Let’s face it, whether the French like it or. Or, many of us have a little French blood in our veins.
Tangerinemoss
Well-known member
The Normans were Viking
tangerinenotorange
Well-known member
Recidivist3
Well-known member
Originally, yes, I know, tho there was a bit of mixing with the Franks and the Gauls by the time 1066 came around.
Normans / northmen
That’s why one of the old Scottish counties was called Sutherland / southern part of the Viking Empire
Sutherland Brothers and Quiver - Arms of Mary
RUSTY_2_STANDS
Well-known member
There's viking decendants over a huge swathe of Europe. They travelled and raided over a huge area.
The Romans travelled as well. Now what did they ever do for us? I assume the OP dislikes Italians, as well as Germans and French, given their performance 80 years ago.
Tangerinemoss
Well-known member
Whilst that is undoubtedly true, the ruling Normans in 1066 were only 3 generations down from Rollo, who invaded northern France and was bought off with Normandy. They are alleged to have still spoken a variant of Norse amongst themselves.
You see, it is really the Danes and Scandinavians you should hate, yet we love 'em
RUSTY_2_STANDS
Well-known member
Well according to my DNA test through My Heritage, I'm 38% Scandanavian anyway. So I'd be hating a big chunk of myself.Whilst that is undoubtedly true, the ruling Normans in 1066 were only 3 generations down from Rollo, who invaded northern France and was bought off with Normandy. They are alleged to have still spoken a variant of Norse amongst themselves.
You see, it is really the Danes and Scandinavians you should hate, yet we love 'em
Tangerinemoss
Well-known member
Where's the ROFL smilie when you need it?Well according to my DNA test through My Heritage, I'm 38% Scandanavian anyway. So I'd be hating a big chunk of myself.