D-Day: A Memorial

[Rudey]

Originally posted by RACooper
Look at me. I am a stupid Canadian. I say I am going to sleep but I really do suck Rudey's dick and need to keep posting. I need to keep showing I am THE MAN. Except I'm not smart. I make unfounded accusations. I don't even know what the accusations are except that I called someone filthy, because I am swine myself.

The French who fought against us and the French who were under DeGaulle when DeGaulle was refusing to aid the allies thank you. 48% of current French who do thank America and the allies and understand the sacrifices made for them do not thank you, but the rest do. Filthy.

-Rudey
--At least take your letters out of your name.

[AGDee]

My ex-father in law is a WWII vet who was one of those soldiers who stormed the beach at Normandy. He had never talked about this experience with his family before, but yesterday, while he was babysitting my son, they saw some footage on TV and grandpa finally told him about it. I was glad that he finally shared this information with my son (wish my daughter had been there too) so that my son knows what his grandfather was involved in.

May we remember all those allied forces who gave their lives and those who fought for the world's freedom from that horrendous dictator.

Dee

[PiEp299]

Originally posted by RACooper
Further it may just be a Canadian thing, but many of the vets feel that they are forgotten by the American media (not the US vets) and their role in D-Day... after-all there were 5 beaches (2 US, 2UK, 1 Canadian) and the Canadians did advance the furthest inland that day (although not to their objectives).

they aren't forgotten. If you remember America had to deal with Pearl Harbor and the Battle of the Pacific as well. So, OUR media is going to concern itself with OUR soldiers more than any of the other allied countries.

Regardless, all of these men deserve the greatest respect and admiration. Our country and this world would be far different from now, if not for their sacrifices.

[Rudey]

I do wish that the French could act on their words but here is an exerpt from an article today:

As they addressed the veterans and their families, the presidents of France and the United States put aside their differecences.

"In the name of every French woman and French man, I would like to offer the eternal gratitude of our nation," Mr. Chirac said on a stage facing the graves here.

France will "never forget what it owes to America, its friend forever," Mr. Chirac said.

Mr. Bush said that France was "America's first friend in the world," a reference to the assistance the colonial Americans received from France inthe Revolutionary War.

Above Mr. Bush fluttered an American flag flying at half-mast to honor former President Ronald Reagan, who died Saturday at 93. Twenty years ago Mr. Reagan gave one of the most memorable speeches of his presidency here to mark the 40th anniversary of D-Day, linking the use of American power to free Europe from fascism to his efforts to confront and defeat communism.

http://nytimes.com/2004/06/06/intern...D-PREX.html?hp

Also when I haven't been watching news on Reagan this weekend, I caught quite a few good programs on D-Day. One of the soldiers mention was Jose Lopez .

-Rudey

[Taualumna]

Just to say that there were services all over town today. I live near Bloor St. in Toronto and saw the parade there. Anyway, here's a list of Canadian coverage of D-Day

Links to Canadian D-Day coverage:

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...l=968793972154

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...=1086260468007 (this article was written by a history teacher who currently teaches at my alma mater.)

Globe and Mail D-Day Special:

http://www.globeandmail.com/special/dday/

More Links from Globe:

http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/...ch&query=D-Day

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC):

CBC's D-Day site: http://www.cbc.ca/news/dday/

[RACooper]

Well I just got back from my trip to Normandy for the D-Day Ceremonies....

Overall they were very moving and emotional; espically realizing that these were most likely the last ones to be held.

Unfortunately because of time constrants I couldn't make it to the US ceremonies... I had enough touble to make it to the Canadian and some British ceremonies. The main ceremony (the one with all the dignitaries) was um.. "interesting"... the medals presentation and the parade of veterans was great... however the "theatrical" presentation of the history of the war and D-Day could be described as very "French".

Two distinct memories come to mind... one the French definitely do remember the sacrifices made by the Allies on D-Day... everywhere the veterans went they were thanked by young and old alike. For people the worry that France has forgotten what the US... don't... they remember and are extremely grateful... as for the politics I'll paraphrase what one French paratrooper mentioned: "France and America are like brothers, and we will always remember what are brother has done for us. As a brother to America though we have the moral duty to stop them from making what we see as a mistake, just as they would for us. We may fight and we may bicker, but in the end we are still brothers, and we still love one another."

The second memory was perhaps the most tear-jerking one for me.... Ranville cemetery. Ranville is the cemetary where the German chancellor went to pay his respects to some German veterans buried their. Ranville Cemetery is a Commonwealth Gravesite where British, Canadian, othe Commonwealth Troops, French, and German dead are buried. While I was there I saw veterans of both sides breaking down when see the names of old friends, and former enemies using each other for support....

I recommend that people visit CNN.com, CBC.com, and BBC.com to get a breadth of pictures and stories.

[Tom Earp]

Brother Cooper,

thank you for sharing this with us. I am sure your heart was very very heavy.

I am glad that you were able to go there to Remembr All Of The FALLEN HEROS!