The men of Normandy had faith that what they were doing was right, faith that they fought for all humanity, faith that a just God would grant them mercy on this beachhead or the next. It was the deep knowledge-- and pray to God we have not lost it--that there is a profound moral difference between the use of a force for liberation and use of force for conquest. Ronald Reagan at Point de Hoc, Normandy, France, June 6, 1984.
Certains liuex sont charges d'histoire. Il sonts aujourd'hui autant de liuex de promenade. Lorsques les veterans seront partis il ne nous retara que ces endroits pour nous rappeler ce qui s'y est passe, un certain jour de Juin 1944.
We must never forget the 58,000 men who lost their lives on the beaches of Normandy to liberate France from the four year occupation of Hitler's Germany under Rommel's command (1940-1944). We also shall always remember that France is free and that the US flag is also the symbol of freedom and should be displayed proudly.We must remember that many of the Allied forces who liberated France were Americans.We must always remember the special friendship that the US and France always shared. For more on that click here. We shall always remember those who fought for freedom at Omaha Beach, Le Ponte du Hoc, Utah Beach and all the beachs of Normandy.
If anyone would like to assist young people in learning about the Battle of Hedegrow and Operation Overlord and anything related to the D-Day invasion of Normandy, one can become a mentor for non-profit organization called Normandy Allies .
In understanding the history of German occupation, it also helps to understand WWI and the Treaty of Versailles. Here you can read the treaty of Versailles and get a historic perspective of what would lead to the eventual occupation in WWII and the French Resistance.
Here is a little history about the Normandy D-Day invasion that liberated France from German occupation.In 1940, the Germans invaded Paris and the west parts of France until the June 6, 1944 liberation. The rest of France was under the puppet government of Vichy led by Marshal Petain. Simultaneously, Charles DeGaulle was organizing the Resistance Movement of the Free France from London. On the morning of June 6, 1944, the 82nd airborne division which included Americans, British and Canadian militaries had liberated the first village in France to be freed which was Sainte-Mere-Eglise. This division later participated in the Battle of the Buldge. The 101st airborn division had their first action on the beaches of Normandy starting with Utah Beach and had served to facilitate the liberation of France. The 29th Infantry division had especially helped in liberating Normandy and earned respect of the people of Normandy, France. After the liberation, Charles de Gaulle entered Paris to head the new government of the Fourth Republic of France.
Subject: La Conference sur Etrangers dans la Resistance- a L'Universite de Toulouse II
From: Monique Tapie-Pech
L’Universite de Toulouse II organisait aujourd’hui, a l’occasion del’inauguration de l’exposition Les etrangers en France une journee consacree aux etrangers dans la Resistance. L’apres-midi etait consacree a une conference debat avec Rolande Trempe, les representants des musees de la Resistance de Champigny et de Nice et les associations regionales de Resistants etrangers.
Rene Souriac, vice-president de l’Universite a introduit le debat en situant les roles respectifs du temoin et de l’historien.
Remy Pech, directeur de l’UFR d’histoire a ensuite rappele la presence et le role des etrangers dans la vie universitaire toulousaine, les liens de l’Universite avec la Resistance et les recherches effectuees a Toulouse sur ce theme.
Rolande Trempe a retrace les particularites de la region toulousaine en matière de resistance puisque ce mouvement a commence bien avant l’invasion de la zone sud le 11 novembre 1942. Le sud-ouest a ete dans l’entre-deux guerres une region où de nombreux etrangers sont arrives :Polonais implantes dans les mines de charbon, Italiens metayers ou ouvriers agricoles dans le Lot-et-Garonne, dans le Tarn- et Garonne et dans le Gers, Italiens refugies anti-fascistes ou fuyant le chomage, Espagnols venus eux aussi chercher du travail ou après 1936 refugies
anti-franquistes. La presence de divers groupes, agriculteurs, refugies politiques, intellectuels, l’etablissement surtout après la victoire de Franco de reseaux d’aide aux refugies et de communication avec leurs pays d’origine, reseaux composes de français et d’etrangers, a forme dans cette region un veritable terrain favorable pour la Resistance. Le combat contre l’Allemagne hitlerienne a ete pour ces etrangers la suite logique du combat qu’ils avaient mene chez eux et le prelude a ceux
qu’ils esperaient reprendre ; et les communautes de travailleurs
implantes dans la region leur ont permis de se fondre plus facilement dans la population.
Mais Rolande Trempe a tenu aussi a souligner le rôle joue par les femmes dans ces reseaux d’etrangers, role comme dans toute la clandestinite d’agents de liaison, rendu plus difficile par le fait que les reseaux d’etrangers etaient plus exposes. Les femmes ont alors assume des fonctions comme le transport des armes, avant et apres les actions des resistants, transports qui les exposaient particulièrement, quand elles n’ont pas ete obligees par le manque d’effectifs a prendre une part directe au combat. Ce sont elles aussi qui ont assure, comme le rappelait Lucie Aubrac, l’infrastructure materielle, nourriture, vêtements, hebergement, deplacements, une action totalement indispensable mais vite oubliee après la guerre et que nul monument n’a
immortalisee.
Elle a souligne enfin que le rôle des etrangers (et etrangeres) dans la resistance n’a que tardivement ete reconnu publiquement et a invite les participants a tenter d’eclairer cette question.
Djamila Amrane, professeur a Toulouse II rappelle qu’est aussi très peu reconnue la participation des habitants de l’empire colonial français ainsi que les revoltes de 1945 consecutives a l’echec de l’espoir de decolonisation qu’avaient nourri ceux qui avaient participe a la liberation de la France.
Plusieurs Resistants presents ont alors apporte leur temoignage sur les motivations et les difficultes rencontrees alors qu’ils etaient de jeunes etrangers entrant dans la Resistance, puis les evolutions differentes a la fin de la guerre.
Les Italiens ont alors pu choisir entre rester en France (et le plus souvent devenir français) et rentrer en Italie, ceux qui etaient originaires de l’est de l’Europe n’ayant pas cette possibilite et ne pouvant souvent revendiquer très fort leur appartenance a la Resistance dans un contexte de guerre froide (etre originaire d’un pays passe sous controle communiste et être un ancien dynamiteur n’a pas toujours ete apprecie tres positivement!), quant aux Espagnols enfin, leur reve de
continuer le combat chez eux, s’est evanoui avec l’echec de la tentative de 1945, leur donnant, malgre leurs succes dans la Resistance française et dans la liberation de la France, un sentiment d’echec. Ces differences apportent quelques elements de reponse a la question de l’occultation de la memoire de la resistance etrangère, contexte de la guerre froide, guerres coloniales puis decolonisation, divergences ideologiques entre mouvements de resistance etrangers, besoin aussi pour la societe française de l’immediate après-guerre de construire une image
ositive de la France se liberant elle-même.
Monique Tapie de Toulouse ou les arbres fleurissent (sous la pluie)
Here is a summary (not direct) translation of the document at the University of Toulose.
Summary translation by Prof Reagan Lorraine Lavorata,
The Univesity of Toulouse today organized the beginning of the foreign
resistance. This afternoon was a conference debate with Rolande Tremep,
the reps from the museums of the resistance of Chapigy,Nice and regional
associations of the foreign resistance (basic summary of first paragraph)
summary of 2nd paragraph
Roland Trempe retraced participants in the Toulouse region and the matter
of the resistance which began before the invasion of Normandy, in the
south zone 11 Novemver 1942. The south-west to be in between the two wars,
was a region where a number of foreigners arrived. Polish (mining),
Italians (agriculture/farmers) and Italian anti-fascist refugees fleeing unemployment,
Sspanish also searched for work (antifascist antifrancos) in 1936
(Spanish Civil War),. The presence of diverse groups, farmers, political
refugees and intellectuals, established above all after the victory of
Franco aide to the refugees and communication with their countries of
origin, reserves composed of the french and foreign resistance, a
favorable terrain for the resistance. the combat against Hitler's Germany
is to be for the foreginers a logical combat and improved communication
with the workers in the region will founder more easily in the population.
summary 3rd paragraph
But Rolande Trempe is holding also the role for the women in the foreign
resistance, who acted as agents and liasons. The women were thereofe
summing the fiunctions such as the transport of arms, before and after the
resistance actions, transport particular explosives and we must not forget
their role although they were not in direct combat. They also assured as
Lucie Aubrac recalled, that material infrastructues, food and clothes,
logements (soldiers were taken in) were given to the troops, a totally
indespensible and often forgotten action, without a monument of
immortality
summary 4th paragraph
Mme Tapie states that finally the role of the foreigners in the resistance
werent late to be publically recognised and to invite the participants to
answer this question (role of the resistance). A professor at Toulouse
recalled that very few recognise ability of the Colonial French empire
so that the consecutive revolts of 1945 (Normandy liberation)
to the failure of the expectation of decolonization have fostered and
contributed to the liberation of France.
summary 5th paragraph
Several Resistants have therefore opened their testimony on the
motivations and difficulties against the young foreigners entering in the
Resistance, plus the different changes to the end of the war.
6th and last paragraph summary
The Italians have therefore chosen to remain in France ( and more often to
become french) or to reenter Italy, those
who originated in Eastern Europe aren't having the possibility and cannot
often demand strongly for their membership to the Resistance in a context
of Cold War (to be originated from countries that pass to the control of
Communism and to be an old dyanmic who above all has not been viewed
positively. Many Spanish finally, they dream to continue the conflict
and they vanish with failture of the attempt of 1945 (liberation) ,
yet,they have given great success and contribution to the Resistance and in
the Liberation of France, a sentiment of failure.
These differences open these elements of response to the question of
occulteration of the memory of the resistance,concepts of the Cold War,
decolonization, diverse ideologies to be in a movement of foreign
resistance which is needed also for the french society and the immediate
postwar construction of a positive image of liberated France, herself.
Normandy is a place rich in history from the time of the Vikings in 800 who gave Normandy its name to the Battle of Hastings with William the Conquerer. Of course as the place where the allies liberated France from German occupation, it is a place of beauty and splendor and for many the first sing of France. Here is a link to this beautiful place called Normandy
© Copyright 1999 Reagan-Lorraine Lavorata
Get your own Free Home Page