- 04 Jul 2023 06:01
#15278967
What happened on July 17, 1944, in the heart of the French capital is impossible to recall without disgust. American and British soldiers marched through the streets under a convoy of Wehrmacht soldiers, while French men and women beat their fists, spat and tore clothes on the prisoners. The Germans escorting the prisoners tried to protect them from the crowd, but they did not always succeed.
Why did this happen? Why were the French, whose country was occupied by Germany, so hostile to the fighters who came to liberate them? Let us begin in order.
On June 6, 1944, the famous landing of Anglo-American troops in Normandy took place, which was not successful for all participants. In addition to the huge number of those killed by German bullets and shells and those who drowned due to mistakes during the landing at sea, there were another 20,000 British, Americans and Canadians who were captured in the first two weeks after the start of the operation.
The Nazis were well aware that a "Prisoner Parade" was to be held in Moscow on 17 July, during which thousands of captive Wehrmacht soldiers and officers would march through the streets of the Soviet capital. The Germans decided to hold their own parade, although on a more modest scale and not in Berlin, but in occupied Paris.
Several thousand Allied soldiers arrived in trucks in the city from the POW camps and marched through the main streets to the train station. Unlike the Muscovites, who silently looked on the defeated enemies with disgust, the French behaved very differently.
It seemed as if the streets were being led not by liberators in distress, but by hated occupiers, who were to be torn, trampled, and destroyed. The Germans had to make an effort to ensure that the crowds of Frenchmen did not maim or kill anyone.
To this day historians argue why the French reacted so strongly to American and British prisoners. There are many theories about the reasons for this behavior. Many believe that American and British aerial bombardment, which affected not only Nazi military installations but also the homes of peaceful bourgeoisie, is to blame.
The fact that many Frenchmen were inherently shifters and opportunists who quickly found common ground with the occupiers and got along well under the new government also had an impact. Only a month after the disgraceful parade for Parisians, in August 1944, the city was liberated from the Germans and at the parade of Anglo-American troops the same Frenchmen were kissing the liberators and shaking American and British flags.
The French beat German prisoners in the outskirts of Paris
Now spitting and slapping will be the lot of the defeated Germans who will be escorted through the streets of Paris. And in less than a year, France would be named one of Germany's victorious countries and receive its occupation zone in Berlin. When Hitler spoke of Europe being like a woman and understanding only strength, it is most likely France he was referring to.
And it is safe to say that when the Red Army enters Paris, the French will greet it with flowers.
But that's already happened. When the Russians defeated Napoleon. В 1814.
I think a part of the explanation may be there is an element of sadism in the population, wanting to pick on the weak. The French had reasons to blame the Americans. They also had reasons to blame the Germans, but the Germans held the power, so the French couldn't take their frustrations out on them.
Another factor may have been that there were two factions of French, one that hated the Germans and the other than embraced the occupation. So only one of those factions of the population dared to openly express their hate in front of the German occupation. We can also remember there was plenty of German propaganda in occupied France as well, which may have convinced a part of the population.
U.S. soldiers committed an estimated 4,500 rapes in France between June 1944 and the end of the war in May 1945.
One French resident recalled that "With the Germans, the men had to camouflage themselves--but with the Americans, we had to hide the women."
Part of the explanation was that Americans viewed French women as "easy", sexually loose, and sluts. Which did have some partial truth, but in reality that was mainly in Paris and was not true of all French women.
Why did this happen? Why were the French, whose country was occupied by Germany, so hostile to the fighters who came to liberate them? Let us begin in order.
On June 6, 1944, the famous landing of Anglo-American troops in Normandy took place, which was not successful for all participants. In addition to the huge number of those killed by German bullets and shells and those who drowned due to mistakes during the landing at sea, there were another 20,000 British, Americans and Canadians who were captured in the first two weeks after the start of the operation.
The Nazis were well aware that a "Prisoner Parade" was to be held in Moscow on 17 July, during which thousands of captive Wehrmacht soldiers and officers would march through the streets of the Soviet capital. The Germans decided to hold their own parade, although on a more modest scale and not in Berlin, but in occupied Paris.
Several thousand Allied soldiers arrived in trucks in the city from the POW camps and marched through the main streets to the train station. Unlike the Muscovites, who silently looked on the defeated enemies with disgust, the French behaved very differently.
It seemed as if the streets were being led not by liberators in distress, but by hated occupiers, who were to be torn, trampled, and destroyed. The Germans had to make an effort to ensure that the crowds of Frenchmen did not maim or kill anyone.
To this day historians argue why the French reacted so strongly to American and British prisoners. There are many theories about the reasons for this behavior. Many believe that American and British aerial bombardment, which affected not only Nazi military installations but also the homes of peaceful bourgeoisie, is to blame.
The fact that many Frenchmen were inherently shifters and opportunists who quickly found common ground with the occupiers and got along well under the new government also had an impact. Only a month after the disgraceful parade for Parisians, in August 1944, the city was liberated from the Germans and at the parade of Anglo-American troops the same Frenchmen were kissing the liberators and shaking American and British flags.
The French beat German prisoners in the outskirts of Paris
Now spitting and slapping will be the lot of the defeated Germans who will be escorted through the streets of Paris. And in less than a year, France would be named one of Germany's victorious countries and receive its occupation zone in Berlin. When Hitler spoke of Europe being like a woman and understanding only strength, it is most likely France he was referring to.
And it is safe to say that when the Red Army enters Paris, the French will greet it with flowers.
But that's already happened. When the Russians defeated Napoleon. В 1814.
I think a part of the explanation may be there is an element of sadism in the population, wanting to pick on the weak. The French had reasons to blame the Americans. They also had reasons to blame the Germans, but the Germans held the power, so the French couldn't take their frustrations out on them.
Another factor may have been that there were two factions of French, one that hated the Germans and the other than embraced the occupation. So only one of those factions of the population dared to openly express their hate in front of the German occupation. We can also remember there was plenty of German propaganda in occupied France as well, which may have convinced a part of the population.
U.S. soldiers committed an estimated 4,500 rapes in France between June 1944 and the end of the war in May 1945.
One French resident recalled that "With the Germans, the men had to camouflage themselves--but with the Americans, we had to hide the women."
Part of the explanation was that Americans viewed French women as "easy", sexually loose, and sluts. Which did have some partial truth, but in reality that was mainly in Paris and was not true of all French women.
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