If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Dear children of France
London, 24 December 1941 How nice to be talking to you, children, on Christmas Eve ! Of course I know life is not very gay for you these days ; still, I want to tell you a tale you can be proud of, a tale of our country's glory and the great future that will be hers... Once upon a time, there was a country called France. Nations, you know, are like great ladies. They vary in beauty, goodness, and bravery. Well, children, of all these lady-nations, none was more beautiful, better, or braver than our Lady France. But she had a cruel neighbour, crafty and jealous, called Germany. Now one day Germany, crazy with vanity and wickedness, decided to turn all her neighbours into slaves. In August 1914 she started to attack them. But France managed to stop her, first on the Marne and then at Verdun, so that other great nations like England and America had time to come to the rescue. Then Germany, whose territory had not been invaded at all, suddenly collapsed. She surrendered to Marshal Foch ; she begged to be forgiven, and sobbed that she would never do it again. She still had great armies intact, but there was not a single German ? not one ? to fire a shot once his country had surrendered. After that, the nations who won the war separated, each going about her own business. That was just what Germany was waiting for. Taking advantage of their simplicity, she prepared to invade anew. Soon she hurled herself once more against France, and this time she won the battle... The enemy and his friends say that France deserved to be beaten. But the French nation is made up of your Daddies and Mummies, your brothers and sisters, and you, children, know very well they were not to blame. If our army was beaten, it was certainly not because our soldiers were lacking in courage or discipline. It was just because we had too few tanks and aeroplanes, for nowadays everything is done by machinery and the only way to win victories is with tanks and aeroplanes and ships, for they are the machines of war. Yet, in spite of this defeat, there are still French troops, warships, merchant vessels, and air squadrons in the fight. Indeed, I can tell you there are more and more of them, and people are talking all over the world about what these French forces are doing for the glory of France. Think of them, and remember them in your prayers, for, believe me, they are very fine, brave soldiers, sailors, and airmen, who will have wonderful tales to tell you when they come home again. And they are sure to return in triumph, since, apart from the growing strength of our American Allies, the British and the Russians now have mighty armies which the Germans cannot hope to destroy, because huge reinforcements of tanks, aeroplanes, and ships are being built in England, in Russia, and in America. One day, you will see these war machines crushing the despairing Germans and, as the invader retreats on our soil, you will see a great French army rising again. Dear children of France, you go hungry because the enemy is eating our bread and our meat ; you are cold because the enemy is stealing our coal and our logs ; you are unhappy because the enemy tells you, and gets other people to tell you, that you are the sons and daughters of conquered men. Now 1 am going to make you a solemn promise this Christmas. You will have a visit soon, dear children of France, a visit from a lady called Victory . . . and then you will see how beautiful she is ! -- L.Frank Matthews Systems Analyst Technology Support Services University of Tennessee Health Science Center |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Dear children of France
"Frank Matthews" wrote in message ... London, 24 December 1941 How nice to be talking to you, children, on Christmas Eve ! Of course I know life is not very gay for you these days ; still, I want to tell you a tale you can be proud of, a tale of our country's glory and the great future that will be hers... Once upon a time, there was a country called France. Nations, you know, are like great ladies. They vary in beauty, goodness, and bravery. Well, children, of all these lady-nations, none was more beautiful, better, or braver than our Lady France. But she had a cruel neighbour, crafty and jealous, called Germany. Now one day Germany, crazy with vanity and wickedness, decided to turn all her neighbours into slaves. In August 1914 she started to attack them. But France managed to stop her, first on the Marne and then at Verdun, so that other great nations like England and America had time to come to the rescue. Then Germany, whose territory had not been invaded at all, suddenly collapsed. She surrendered to Marshal Foch ; she begged to be forgiven, and sobbed that she would never do it again. She still had great armies intact, but there was not a single German ? not one ? to fire a shot once his country had surrendered. After that, the nations who won the war separated, each going about her own business. That was just what Germany was waiting for. Taking advantage of their simplicity, she prepared to invade anew. Soon she hurled herself once more against France, and this time she won the battle... The enemy and his friends say that France deserved to be beaten. But the French nation is made up of your Daddies and Mummies, your brothers and sisters, and you, children, know very well they were not to blame. If our army was beaten, it was certainly not because our soldiers were lacking in courage or discipline. It was just because we had too few tanks and aeroplanes, for nowadays everything is done by machinery and the only way to win victories is with tanks and aeroplanes and ships, for they are the machines of war. Yet, in spite of this defeat, there are still French troops, warships, merchant vessels, and air squadrons in the fight. Indeed, I can tell you there are more and more of them, and people are talking all over the world about what these French forces are doing for the glory of France. Think of them, and remember them in your prayers, for, believe me, they are very fine, brave soldiers, sailors, and airmen, who will have wonderful tales to tell you when they come home again. And they are sure to return in triumph, since, apart from the growing strength of our American Allies, the British and the Russians now have mighty armies which the Germans cannot hope to destroy, because huge reinforcements of tanks, aeroplanes, and ships are being built in England, in Russia, and in America. One day, you will see these war machines crushing the despairing Germans and, as the invader retreats on our soil, you will see a great French army rising again. Yep just as expected as the german armies retreated and the hard lifting was over the French army was seen rising again! SMIRK Dear children of France, you go hungry because the enemy is eating our bread and our meat ; you are cold because the enemy is stealing our coal and our logs ; you are unhappy because the enemy tells you, and gets other people to tell you, that you are the sons and daughters of conquered men. Now 1 am going to make you a solemn promise this Christmas. You will have a visit soon, dear children of France, a visit from a lady called Victory . . . and then you will see how beautiful she is ! -- L.Frank Matthews Systems Analyst Technology Support Services University of Tennessee Health Science Center |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Dear children of France
Frank Matthews wrote in
: In August 1914 she started to attack them. But France managed to stop her, first on the Marne and then at Verdun, so that other great nations like England and America had time to come to the rescue. Thank you to show us your great ignorance .France and british empire started the ww1 together in 1914 .Maybe you should take some geography lessons to , england was a part of the empire , and there was plenty of scottish , welsh , irish , australian , canadian , south african , indian , neo zelander , african from the british african colonies regiments in ww1 . Of course france sent many of its empire troups to the front like senegalese , indochinese etc. domi |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Dear children of France
Frank Matthews wrote in
: our army was beaten, it was certainly not because our soldiers were lacking in courage or discipline. It was just because we had too few tanks and aeroplanes, The german won just because they used for the first time a new way of fighting called combinated attack.they used tanks and airplanes together against infantry .they won because they did not invade france in first but a neutral nation called belgium , and french politician were not clever enough to built fortification along the border between france and a neutral country . It's not france who lost the battle but france and british .british were coward enough to send their armies home and let their fellow french camarades on the dunkerque beaches . domi |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Dear children of France
Frank Matthews wrote in
: You will have a visit soon, dear children of France, a visit from a lady called Victory . . . and then you will see how beautiful she is ! We had already a greater lady who came to visit us .she is called peace . domi |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Dear children of France
Frank Matthews wrote in
: Of course I know life is not very gay for you these days ; Why ? we are the new women handball world champion .We just finish to built the greatest ship ever made. domi |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Dear children of France
Mon, 15 Dec 2003 09:01:15 -0600
London, 24 December 1941 How nice to be talking to you, children, on Christmas Eve ! Of course I know life is not very gay for you these days ; still, I want to tell you a tale you can be proud of, a tale of our country's glory and the great future that will be hers... Once upon a time, there was a country called France. Nations, you know, are like great ladies. They vary in beauty, goodness, and bravery. Well, children, of all these lady-nations, none was more beautiful, better, or braver than our Lady France. But she had a cruel neighbour, crafty and jealous, called Germany. Now one day Germany, crazy with vanity and wickedness, decided to turn all her neighbours into slaves. In August 1914 she started to attack them. But France managed to stop her, first on the Marne and then at Verdun, so that other great nations like England and America had time to come to the rescue. Then Germany, whose territory had not been invaded at all, suddenly collapsed. She surrendered to Marshal Foch ; she begged to be forgiven, and sobbed that she would never do it again. She still had great armies intact, but there was not a single German ? not one ? to fire a shot once his country had surrendered. After that, the nations who won the war separated, each going about her own business. That was just what Germany was waiting for. Taking advantage of their simplicity, she prepared to invade anew. Soon she hurled herself once more against France, and this time she won the battle... The enemy and his friends say that France deserved to be beaten. But the French nation is made up of your Daddies and Mummies, your brothers and sisters, and you, children, know very well they were not to blame. If our army was beaten, it was certainly not because our soldiers were lacking in courage or discipline. It was just because we had too few tanks and aeroplanes, for nowadays everything is done by machinery and the only way to win victories is with tanks and aeroplanes and ships, for they are the machines of war. Yet, in spite of this defeat, there are still French troops, warships, merchant vessels, and air squadrons in the fight. Indeed, I can tell you there are more and more of them, and people are talking all over the world about what these French forces are doing for the glory of France. Think of them, and remember them in your prayers, for, believe me, they are very fine, brave soldiers, sailors, and airmen, who will have wonderful tales to tell you when they come home again. And they are sure to return in triumph, since, apart from the growing strength of our American Allies, the British and the Russians now have mighty armies which the Germans cannot hope to destroy, because huge reinforcements of tanks, aeroplanes, and ships are being built in England, in Russia, and in America. One day, you will see these war machines crushing the despairing Germans and, as the invader retreats on our soil, you will see a great French army rising again. Dear children of France, you go hungry because the enemy is eating our bread and our meat ; you are cold because the enemy is stealing our coal and our logs ; you are unhappy because the enemy tells you, and gets other people to tell you, that you are the sons and daughters of conquered men. Now 1 am going to make you a solemn promise this Christmas. You will have a visit soon, dear children of France, a visit from a lady called Victory . . . and then you will see how beautiful she is ! -- L.Frank Matthews Systems Analyst Technology Support Services President of the Morons Club University of Tennessee Health Science Center |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Dear children of France
In article ,
"Donna Evleth" wrote: Dans l'article , domi a écrit : The german won just because they used for the first time a new way of fighting called combinated attack.they used tanks and airplanes together against infantry .they won because they did not invade france in first but a neutral nation called belgium , and french politician were not clever enough to built fortification along the border between france and a neutral country . The French politicians committed a multitude of sins, but lack of cleverness regarding the fortification was not really one of them. They did not fortify in that area because of Belgian protest. Belgium was neutral at that time (we are talking circa 1936), they looked upon fortifications as a violation of that neutrality. The French respected their position, and did not act unilaterally to fortify. One can say that the French were too polite, but this is not the same as not being clever. Donna Evleth "The Horse before the cart" Germany wasn't even allowed to have these weapons. There was an inspections program that France failed to enforce. They built a very nice wall, but with horses and buggies, while Germany was using modern mechanized machinery... cleaver ?? jay Mon, Dec 15, 2003 -- Legend insists that as he finished his abject... Galileo muttered under his breath: "Nevertheless, it does move." |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Dear children of France
Dans l'article , domi a écrit : The german won just because they used for the first time a new way of fighting called combinated attack.they used tanks and airplanes together against infantry .they won because they did not invade france in first but a neutral nation called belgium , and french politician were not clever enough to built fortification along the border between france and a neutral country . The French politicians committed a multitude of sins, but lack of cleverness regarding the fortification was not really one of them. They did not fortify in that area because of Belgian protest. Belgium was neutral at that time (we are talking circa 1936), they looked upon fortifications as a violation of that neutrality. The French respected their position, and did not act unilaterally to fortify. One can say that the French were too polite, but this is not the same as not being clever. Donna Evleth |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Dear children of France
Dans l'article , "DDB" a écrit : Yep just as expected as the german armies retreated and the hard lifting was over the French army was seen rising again! SMIRK What was your point in spoiling a really nice post? Donna Evleth |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Air France / KLM "merger"gets go-ahead | Sjoerd | Air travel | 5 | February 11th, 2004 09:39 PM |
Killer was hired as Air France guard | Auzerais310 | Air travel | 0 | December 31st, 2003 06:30 PM |
France Turning Its Back on 'Le Halloween' | Earl Evleth | Europe | 25 | November 13th, 2003 11:30 AM |