When the Nazis invaded France nearly 70 years ago, I don't know what the feelings of the German people were but nowhere have I ever read there was any strong dislike (not to say hatred) against the French. The Germans were living under a dictatorship and, except for the usual minority of diehard nationalists and warmongers, there was no particular francophobia, save a bitter taste from 1918.
The Nazi propaganda did all it could to stir enmity between our two peoples, but to no avail, globally speaking the French then and now knew how to differentiate the Nazis from the Germans. We knew the Germans had been taken hostages by a criminal regime. And that any protest was met with a single ticket to KZL...
70 years later, current relationships between French and Germans are simply great, only each other's language are unfortunately wholly unknown by the other.
5 years ago, the American media in its vast majority also stirred animosity between the American people and the French one and, alas, was very successful in so doing. On the other hand, it wasn't that difficult, so strong has the underlying antifrench sentiment been since the very beginning of the US.
And I'm afraid to say, should any warlike situation arise between the US and France (God forbid a real war) my bet is that not a minority of Americans would gleefully welcome an opportunity to smash the French to pieces. They would just think it perfectly legitimate to settle old scores with the Frogs. And probably not a tiny minority.
Sad to say but I'm afraid it reflects reality.
The Nazi propaganda did all it could to stir enmity between our two peoples, but to no avail, globally speaking the French then and now knew how to differentiate the Nazis from the Germans. We knew the Germans had been taken hostages by a criminal regime. And that any protest was met with a single ticket to KZL...
70 years later, current relationships between French and Germans are simply great, only each other's language are unfortunately wholly unknown by the other.
5 years ago, the American media in its vast majority also stirred animosity between the American people and the French one and, alas, was very successful in so doing. On the other hand, it wasn't that difficult, so strong has the underlying antifrench sentiment been since the very beginning of the US.
And I'm afraid to say, should any warlike situation arise between the US and France (God forbid a real war) my bet is that not a minority of Americans would gleefully welcome an opportunity to smash the French to pieces. They would just think it perfectly legitimate to settle old scores with the Frogs. And probably not a tiny minority.
Sad to say but I'm afraid it reflects reality.
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