[xoxoxoBruce]

When It comes to WWII, where were WE when Rommel did his surprise maneuver around the Maginot line? Asleep, waiting for Pearl Harbour.

Hardly asleep, we were already preparing, at least on paper, how to handle Hitler if Europe fell and he tried to claim Canada.
As for the attack on Pearl Harbor, yes, that was a semi-surprise but the Jap threat was not. The attack was expected in the far east.

People ignorant of European history (that means 99.9999999% of all Americans) find it easy to make arrogant assumptions.

Excellent example of arrogance...thanks.

First of all, WWI was fought on French soil.

Yes it was, for years and years because the french didn't have the brains or balls to take it to Germany

Any of you genius's ever read All Quiet on the Western Front ? No? I didn't think so. Run down to your public library and get a copy. I'll wait.
(*TAPS FOOT IMPATIENTLY*)

Ah...another excellent example, thank you.

OK, WWI was one of the most awful wars in modern history. Thousands gave their lives for an inch of territory either way. It was brutal, trench warfare. It was stupid, horrible, and pointless.

Yes it was and when the Americans arrived the french wanted our boys to crawl into the trenches and continue the same stupid tactics they had used for years. Plus they wanted us to do it with crap weapons that they would charge us for.
It's only when the Americans said fuck the french and took the battle to the Germans did the stalemate finally break and push the Germans back to Germany.
Oh..that's when the french took charge again and sowed the seeds of WW II.

"In Flanders fields the poppies grow..."

Nah, none of you people have read Rupert Brooke, either. Never mind.

Kudos...a third excellent example.

The French people were so horrified and outraged by the deaths and suffering of trench warfare in WWI, that there was zero popular support for building up an agressive military in the 20's and 30's. The French just wanted to be left alone, thank you.

Nay, nay, they were so busy pompously flogging the German economy they didn't notice they were promoting WW II.

Their posture was DEFENSE, hence the Maginot line which actually was pretty clever - they just didn't extend it all the way to the Adrienne. Now everybody today knows the words blitzkrieg and the name Rommel, but this man and that technique were a stunning developments back in 1940.

I've no way of knowing if Germany could have been stopped at that point but I highly doubt it.

If you folks don't think Patton or McArthur or Eisenhour would have been put on the retreat by a surprise attack of panzer divisions over the Canadian border, led by no less a general than Rommel, himself, think again.

First of all we wouldn't have been surprized. Secondly, retreat maybe but to regroup not acquiesce. To fire up the still and reload shells instead of standing on the corner in our best suits, crying.

As far as Charles de Gaule, he was wounded twice at the beginning of WWI and promoted to captain in 1915. He was ultimately captured by the Germans at Verdun and made 5 escape attempts from the German prison camps.
After the armistice, de Gaulle was assigned to a Polish division being formed in France. He fought against the Red Army during the civil war and won Poland's highest military decoration, Virtuti Militari.

De Gaulle's military ideas appeared in his book, The Army of the Future (1934). In the book he criticized the rigid theories of war that was exemplified by the Marginot Line. The book was unpopular with the politicians and the military who who refused to strengthen France's peace-time military force between the wars.

On the outbreak of the WWII, at Caumont, De Gaulle became the only French commanding officer to force the Germans to retreat during the German invasion of France.

So, you wouldn't call De Gaulle, a general, eh? Just what branch of the military do you serve in, anyhow, chief?

Since you're an expert on De Gaulle, tell me, was he in charge of the french troops in Morocco that shelled our boys trying to land in Africa?
I'll bet even De Gaulle knew enough to try to fight from a position of strength if you can.
Mari, condescension is not your position of strength.