Frank, I remember when the movie about the Battle of the Bulge came put in the 60s. Our family saw it at a drive-in theater. I can't tell you how a movie I watched 2 days ago ended, but images of Battle of the Bulge remain fixed in my mind.
Frank, I remember when the movie about the Battle of the Bulge came put in the 60s. Our family saw it at a drive-in theater. I can't tell you how a movie I watched 2 days ago ended, but images of Battle of the Bulge remain fixed in my mind.
No idea if I saw that, good chance, i like "war movies" as a kid and teenager, and still do if the story is good. Was it in black and white? eg like The Longest Day?bIf you enjoy quality war films, you might enjoy Band of Brothers , it sometimes seems to "drag" (they don't fight battles all the time right?), but it gives a lot of insight you might otherwise find in books.
Battle of the Bulge was in color, nearly certain. I've seen Band of Brothers and so many more. I particularly enjoy movies of the Resistance in WW2, as I've said elsewhere on substack. Many are based upon real events. Their stories of courage are so inspirational and yet so incomprehensible: that people so willingly risk not only their lives but also those of their families, friends, even towns. I've always always wondered what I would do if given the same situation, jopefully I would join, but it'seasier to say that in the hypothetical, when you might ne faced with a different reality. Now that I'm older (late 60s), I have little doubt. I’d join.
Frank, there's a good book written by Martin DuGard called 'Taking Paris', which I read 4 years ago and may have to re-read. One resistance agent in particular stood put yo.me: Jean Moulin, from Chartres, who was captured, tortured and killed by Klaud Barbie.
In 2022, I had the great fortune to visit France with my then-13 year-old grandson to see the town where our ancestors came from, as well as many other places. We stayed overnight in Chartres and saw Moulin's house. A small park in the town memorializes him, with a monument and tricolor lighting at night.
I gather my recollections about Paris gun battles involving communist French underground seems mistaken, they played a major part and allied with De Gaulle , at least until they were kicked out of his political party in 1947/8, but then went on to become the largest political party in France for several years.
Frank, visiting Paris, I was struck by the plaques on walls indicating that this place was where so-and-so was killed by the Germans, this is where the French pushed the Germans out of the Latin Quarter, and so on. I'm sure most Parisians these days walk right past them without giving them a thought.
My father joined the Brits in 1939, and became an SOE operative in and out of France and Holland. They were the precursor to the CIA, BND, MI6. Here's some fascinating history.
Bruce, you must be so very proud of what your dad did. It's so mind-blowing to consider where we are today, given the work and sacrifice (sometimes supreme sacrifice) of agents during the war. It seems we need to de-nazify our government and people. Thanks for the link, I'll read it.
There is a good book about her too. Amazing people. My Dad never said a word about it to me, even as we tagged along with this diplomat/spook until we left home through one conflict area to another. I only learned about him through my Godfather who was his partner during the war and after. My Dad was a cold, tough man.
Frank, I remember when the movie about the Battle of the Bulge came put in the 60s. Our family saw it at a drive-in theater. I can't tell you how a movie I watched 2 days ago ended, but images of Battle of the Bulge remain fixed in my mind.
No idea if I saw that, good chance, i like "war movies" as a kid and teenager, and still do if the story is good. Was it in black and white? eg like The Longest Day?bIf you enjoy quality war films, you might enjoy Band of Brothers , it sometimes seems to "drag" (they don't fight battles all the time right?), but it gives a lot of insight you might otherwise find in books.
Battle of the Bulge was in color, nearly certain. I've seen Band of Brothers and so many more. I particularly enjoy movies of the Resistance in WW2, as I've said elsewhere on substack. Many are based upon real events. Their stories of courage are so inspirational and yet so incomprehensible: that people so willingly risk not only their lives but also those of their families, friends, even towns. I've always always wondered what I would do if given the same situation, jopefully I would join, but it'seasier to say that in the hypothetical, when you might ne faced with a different reality. Now that I'm older (late 60s), I have little doubt. I’d join.
When Paris was liberated, with the communist members of the resistance have a running gun battle with DeGaul's forces? https://www.wikiwand.com/en/articles/Denazification
Frank, there's a good book written by Martin DuGard called 'Taking Paris', which I read 4 years ago and may have to re-read. One resistance agent in particular stood put yo.me: Jean Moulin, from Chartres, who was captured, tortured and killed by Klaud Barbie.
In 2022, I had the great fortune to visit France with my then-13 year-old grandson to see the town where our ancestors came from, as well as many other places. We stayed overnight in Chartres and saw Moulin's house. A small park in the town memorializes him, with a monument and tricolor lighting at night.
I gather my recollections about Paris gun battles involving communist French underground seems mistaken, they played a major part and allied with De Gaulle , at least until they were kicked out of his political party in 1947/8, but then went on to become the largest political party in France for several years.
Frank, visiting Paris, I was struck by the plaques on walls indicating that this place was where so-and-so was killed by the Germans, this is where the French pushed the Germans out of the Latin Quarter, and so on. I'm sure most Parisians these days walk right past them without giving them a thought.
Thanks for that personal history, Doug, and the cruel business about Klaud Barbie. So I googled it, and here's one.... https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/nikolaus-klaus-barbie-the-butcher-of-lyon
My father joined the Brits in 1939, and became an SOE operative in and out of France and Holland. They were the precursor to the CIA, BND, MI6. Here's some fascinating history.
https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-collection/stories/virginia-hall/#:~:text=Virginia%20Hall%20(1906%E2%80%931982),of%20the%20Central%20Intelligence%20Agency.
He was charged with the de-nazification of Northwestern Germany, and helped build the BND
I think i read that by 1950 if not sooner the allies had by and large abandoned de-Nazification, just too many essential personnel.
Bruce, you must be so very proud of what your dad did. It's so mind-blowing to consider where we are today, given the work and sacrifice (sometimes supreme sacrifice) of agents during the war. It seems we need to de-nazify our government and people. Thanks for the link, I'll read it.
There is a good book about her too. Amazing people. My Dad never said a word about it to me, even as we tagged along with this diplomat/spook until we left home through one conflict area to another. I only learned about him through my Godfather who was his partner during the war and after. My Dad was a cold, tough man.