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France in WW2
The French participation in World War 2, in both the European and Pacific theaters of the war. Questions regarding the Vichy government are also welcome here.
3,918 Questions
What is the Maginot line was it successful where is it?
A line of French fortifications along the French side of the France/Germany border. It was basically intended as a super trench to block any German invasion as soon as it began. It was built between the end of WW1 and the beginning of WW2 at enormous expense to the French. It was completely unsuccessful in WW2 as Germany simply went around it by sending tanks and infantry through Belgium and Holland to the north and flying planes full of paratroops and bomber planes directly over it. It still is where it was, but all the armaments are removed, some sections are museums.
What is the name of the massive military invasion of Nazi controlled northern France in 1944?
D-Day 6th June 1944, code-named Operation Overlord.
What steps were taken to provide affordable health care in France?
The health care system in France is a part of the Securité sociale (Social security) and is usually called Assurance-maladie (Health Insurance). The other part of the the Securité Sociale is the "branche viellesse" (retirement pension-fund)
The Sécurité Sociale was created in october 1945, just after WW II. It is explicitly written in the french constitution.
The Sécurité Sociale must give the guarantee to all, especially to child's, mothers and aged-workers, the protection for health, material security, rest and leisures".
The Sécurité Sociale is mostly financed by cotisations. Deductions are directly made from the salaries. Moreover, the employer's shares contribute to finance the system.
but since the 70ies, France has led policies to finance the Sécurité Sociale with taxes in addition of the sharing existing system.
It is not correct to say that it is affordable. It has its cost. Cost of labour is higher than in other countries. The sécurité sociale deficit is 10 billions euros every year.
Hope this all is "undestandable".
What is 'Je suis la dame aux camélias' when translated from French to English?
Je suis la dame aux camélias in French means "I am the lady of the camellias" in English. The statement means to live like the courtesan in the novel La dame aux camélias by French writer Alexandre Dumas.
France is a country. You don't often get countries within countries.
The French Armee de L"air, which was essentially in home guard or defensive mode, did not, to my knowledge, use Blimps in world war II. after the capitulation they were essentially in a puppet-defensive mode. They did employ all kinds of flying boats- heavy duty seaplanes such as the Latecoere which even had retractable counterweights on the wingtips- and six engines. these were intended primarily as Air Liners- transports, not combat craft.
Is tree masculine or feminine in french?
un arbre (masc.)
"c'est l'arbre qui cache la forêt" (proverb): this is the tree which is hiding the forest.
Who taught ki-o-rahi in Dieppe in the 1940's?
DIEPPE WAS A FRENCH SEA PORT. DURING THE WAR WW2 CANADIANS WERE
SENT ON A RAID ON THE PORT.IT WAS A FAILURE THAT COST MANY CANADIAN
LIVES. WHAT THE ALLIES LEARNED FROM THAT RAID SAVED MANY LIVES WHEN
SICILY AND D DAY INVASIONS TOOK PLACE. NO ONE THERE HAD THE TIME TO TEACH
ANYTHING. ROD.
Very true about the 1942 landing but only from what I have read. I'm an American who had relatives who fought in WW2 and I was brought up on alot of their stories and recollections. I remember my grandfather (6th army), who was in the Normandy landings, telling me about meeting up with french soldiers in Dec, 1944 at Strasbourg - a juncture from their south push from the french riviera landings (operation Dragoon). They were of the french first army, and the bunch of soldiers they shared a meal with had also fought in Italian campaign in the french corps. they spoke about the giant moari soldiers, who fought tenaciously and were full of humour, song and fun, who showed them an unusual very fast and physical ball game played with a pronounced target.
The french soldiers knew the seine-maritime area very well, north of where my grandfather landed at Utah beach, it was where they were born, and that he was very clear on. I have seen some maps of the towns he mentioned, and they are not dieppe but in the same region. Perhaps it was these very same men who returned to their homeland, which would make my grandfather very happy that they survived, like he did to finally cross the Rhine and scrap it out on German soil.
I know that game is called ki-o-rahi but it may have a french name also? I do not know? The game is played in some of our elementary schools.
Who was the french dictator during World War 2?
Charles de Gaulle was the french dictator. He was the dictator for the FREE FRENCH only.
What does an old 2500 french franc look like?
there is no such thing as a 2500 old French Franc. The first French franc was created on the 5th of December, 1360.
What does CO and WD mean on military discharge papers?
The discharge papers will list the awards a soldier earned and will include references to the General Order that issued the medal. Usually the Victory Medal is referenced by GO 33 WD 45.
This refers to General Order (GO) that was the 33rd one issued in 1945 by the War Department(WD).
I think the "CO" you read is actually "GO".
The Headquarters of each unit would number their General Orders (what civilians might refer to as Memos). So the 369 Infantry Regiment could issue the 15th order for the year 1944. This GO would be identified as: GO 15 369IR 44.
