But while dismissing Germany's refusal to support military action against Iraq as an aberration by "a discredited chancellor," Perle warned that France's attitude was both more dangerous and more serious.
"France is no longer the ally it once was," Perle said. And he went on to accuse French President Jacques Chirac of believing "deep in his soul that Saddam Hussein is preferable to any likely successor."
posted on February 5, 2003 10:15:33 AM new
I'm not sure of the dates, Irene, but i recall that we declared War on both Japan and Germany at the same time.
posted on February 5, 2003 10:22:53 AM new
I was surprised too, Borillar when I only found reference to the declaration of war on Japan and Germany's declaration 3 days later. Not that it really matters as Japan and Germany were allies and declaring war on one was akin to being at war with the other.
posted on February 5, 2003 12:04:53 PM new
And of course before war was officially declared we were shipping massive amounts of supplies for years to the British who supplied the British & French forces in France.
France, of course, really didn't need such a massive lifeline since their army was much larger than the Germans and armed with many more and much larger tanks than the Germans. Unfortunately instead of sending 2 guys with a bazooka to chop down a tree across the roads in the Ardennes, holding the Germans tanks back, they just ran and yelled "the panzers are coming!"
Historically the last 2 things the French have done together with enthusiasm is rounding up French jews for the Nazis and building fortifications for the Nazis.
posted on February 5, 2003 12:15:33 PM new
DeSquirrel, My sentiment exactly.
If we had got into the war earlier we may have lost less people, and millions would have lived. Poland may have fell but France would have had to fight. The German Army could have been stopped long before the Final Solution of the Jews, Gypsies, mental ill and on and on.
So much for the antiwar.
War is like having a bad tooth pulled. You only do it after all else has been tried but once it's out and gone, everything feels a lot better.
Actually, if you want to extend this thread to BEFORE WWII. The French were the first ones tested. When the Germans moved troops into western Germany in direct violation of the treaty they did so with the express aim of threatening and challenging the French. The Germans could have been stopped by French POLICE never mind the army. But the French had been bled white in WWI to the point where their whole psyche was "peace" at any price. But surprise, there is such a thing as evil and hundreds of millions died.
posted on February 5, 2003 01:05:14 PM new
Actually my timeline post of invasion dates and the date and circumstances under which the U.S. chose to enter th war was simply a response to Bear's comment:
And France will not be an ally until some enemy hoard is massing at their borders, threating to invade.
From stuff I remember reading some years ago, the U.S. military was woefully ill-equipped for war back in 1939. That situation had changed by 1941. And yes, Roosevelt did as much as he could to help the allies considering voter sentiment in the U.S. was against war before the Japanese attack.
posted on February 5, 2003 09:31:08 PM new
BEAR,,,PLEASE AND ACTUALLY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE STORY BUT PLEASE POST MARINE AS MARINE OR Marine, NEXT TIME AROUND. MARINE IS A TITLE. marine JUST DON'T CUT IT. THANKS, HAVE A GREAT DAY. SEMPER FI. R.V.N. 68-69. RECON. MARINE. SALUTE!
LIKE I SAY AND YOU KNOW WHAT I SAY,,,AND THE BEAT GOES ON,,,,,
posted on February 5, 2003 10:18:08 PM new
>And of course before war was officially declared we were shipping massive amounts of supplies for years to the British who supplied the British & French forces in France.
And not only them, but sold supplies to Nazi Germany, Italy, and Japan for their War effort!
posted on February 6, 2003 12:15:45 AM new
I tell you JACK, it must be hard to smile sometimes. Human lives are traded for dollars to further enrich the already rich and powerful at the expense of the rest of society. One of these days, people are going to get too fed up with all of this nonsense and there'll be a repeat of the French Revolution and all of the Bill Gates and Poltiicans will be marched to the chopping block and >chop!< >chop!< will go all of those repressed sentiments from the cheering crowd!
