Assignment: In Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong, read
the chapters assigned below. Write a response, following the
Reader Response Guidelines (above). React to and comment upon
your at least 2 of your classmates responses.
Chapter 7:
How is the policy of assimilation related to France’s experience in
World War II?
The first thing I would like to say is that the authors of this novel have met so many amazing people during their time in France, and I am excited to see what other stories they have gathered. I believe that the personal stories they recount are what make the chapters so impactful. As for France and World War II, I had no idea about what was happening in occupied France. I am actually shocked and horrified about what occurred. The statement there were “forty million private wars” is probably one of the best ways to describe what was happening. There was some French resistance, but it was pitiful compared to other countries’ efforts. Then there were the citizens that had no clue what was going on in their own country, so they just lived day to day. Finally, there was the government of Vichy was truly disgusts me. I never knew that the French were essentially being led by the German government, while also having kept their government in power. It makes me wonder how the war would have been different if de Gaulle had successfully moved the government out of the country. Then the German influences would not have been as great, and there may still be more Jewish French that survived the war. The firsthand account of Jean-Jacques was utterly heartbreaking. How could you ever trust your government again? I can easily see why he has disdain for the French. He lost both parents, and they might have been there to raise him if the French would have protected their Jewish community instead of laying them out like lambs for slaughter. I apologize if I am heated in this response, but the Holocaust was a terrible mark on our history that can never be removed. Each time I learn about a new horror, it truly hurts me. The positive that I do see is the work of Charles de Gaulle, who healed the country. There was so much distrust after the war, but under a lie he was able to bring the nation back together. France could have easily destroyed itself from within if it were not for this brilliant tale that de Gaulle spun.
RépondreSupprimeri agree. their experiences is what make our learning experience great. This book really gives you a good insight in what the french are really like. this is much better than a history text book.
SupprimerI like how you bring up the stories of Fraenkel, the authors do a great job by including this story. It really emphasizes the horrible actions carried out by the Vichy regime. I do not, however, agree with the fact that de Gaulle should have lied to his country.
SupprimerAll of their private efforts to assimilate to what the Nazis wanted was in vain. I agree with you that they could have destroyed themselves it is were not for Charles de Gaulle. His handiwork truly shaped France into what it is today.
SupprimerI have to agree with you in mentioning the importance of de Gaulle and how he healed France. Being a leader around war time is no easy task, but de Gaulle handled the pressure much better than Pétain did. Unfortunately genocides and gross inhumanities still occur to this day so while thinking of the past and how we should never forget it is important, we also have to focus on the present and try to soothe situations that are happening elsewhere.
SupprimerFirst off, i can totally aGree with Rachel. That the Vichy government was only a puppet government installed by the Germans to be able to control their newly conquered terroritory. Its just like what the Russian government did in Afghanistan in 1979-1989. THey had a puppet government in place to control politics.
SupprimerWhat I also agree with is how the French surrendered to the Germans for a few different reasons.
A) they surrendered because the French knew that if they didnt, the would have another war just like the First World War, where France lost nearly 1.4 million soldiers in battle. and they didnt want a repeat of that.
B) France had seen what Germany had done to the United Kingdom and to London. Germany virtually bombed London out of submission and France didnt want that to happen to Paris, so they surrendered knowing that Germany might not destroy all of Paris, so they sacrificed their country to Germany. But in the same time, they also created the French resistance. A resistance that forced Germany to send German troops from the Eastern Front fighting against the Soviet Union to the Western Front where they would be fighting against the resistance. against people who hated the Nazi's with every cell in their body. not only did the resistance have people harassing German troops in Paris and around the country, but they also had people blowing up German troop trains, getting in close with German military officers and finding out troop movement and troop placements and allowing the Allies to get a stronger foothold in the war. So yes in some ways surrendering to Germany was a much better idea than all out fighting them.
But what the Vichy government was, it was a puppet government placed in France along with other conqured lands that Germany had taken over, and was led by a German appointed leader who would report directly to the German government. this allowd the German government to have a strong presence in France at the time.
And how de Gaulle led his country during Frances more darker times in histroy shows how comitted to France his is. While yes things migh've gone a lot differently had de Gaulle moved his government out of France
This chapter was all about WWII. I know almost nothing about the World Wars from the European side of things so this chapter was very interesting. Its bitter sweet that the general French population was lied to about the resistance to Nazi Germany. It’s nice that they wanted to forget the past and their wrong doings but it’s also horrible that the government hid some thing this gargantuan. Although it’s bitter sweet I don not agree with their decision. Millions of innocent people died and you can’t just forget about it. The French government tried to make it seem like France was another victim of the Nazis but it turns out that France is a victim of itself. France had over a hundred laws that prohibited Jews from daily activities. When Germany demanded that Jews be deported to Germany other countries refused but France went along with what Germany wanted and also did more to help them. When I was reading Jean-Jacques’s story it made me really sad. The Jewish people died because the Germans wanted them dead and the French government helped them do it. The only positive that I pick out of this is that the resistance of France helped save a lot of Jews, especially the children. I enjoyed this chapter because the holocaust has always been an interesting subject to me. I hope that after this book was written that the French start to relies how WWII really happened because history repeats its self and it is always good to learn from your mistakes.
RépondreSupprimerI was surprised that the French government was helping Germany with stripping Jews from their rights and also letting so many people die. I was also shocked that France handed over 76,000 Jews to Germany, while other countries resisted doing so.
SupprimerI agree, it is truly terrible that the French government itself is responsible for the deaths of so many of ts citizens. It's a shame that other countries stood up to the German might, however, France, a country with the second best Navy and a considerably strong air force, backed out of the fight so dramatically.
SupprimerWith the complexities of war strategies and political corrupt decisions, it's clear to see that France felt backed into a corner. I don't condone what was done to the Jews, but I see how it happened. This was a really dramatic chapter to read.
SupprimerI agree that it was horrible for the French to go along with the German sentiment. I wish that the French would have stood up for themselves, but that is the problem with trusting the people in power. The French government under German guidance was awful and not what the French citizens, Jewish or not, deserved.
SupprimerThis was a very disheartening chapter about WWII and the Holocaust. France has some skeletons in its closet regarding trust of the government. Prior to this reading, I knew that France had been harboring Nazi death camps, but I did not know that 76,000 Jews in France died in these camps. France was very divided during this war. You had people in power in French government who knew exactly what was going on and were terrified to cross the Nazi regime. You also had people who were blindly unaware of who was fully responsible for the discrimination and termination of the people. As Jean-Jacques referred to his book, it was a breach of trust. Germany demanded much of the French, but France played the victim. They played a part in the Holocaust by not allowing French Jews to go places, or do certain things. They handed over the Jews on a silver platter, if you ask me. Now there is a debate as to whether France is considered anti-Semitic for siding partially with the Nazis, but I would have to say yes and no. It was a horrific thing that they had done, but for many it has been long forgotten. For some, the generation that is left from WWII, it will never be forgotten.
RépondreSupprimerI think it's strange that the French seem to forget their part in WWII, because they are all about the rest of their history. I also had no idea that the French had 76,000 Jews die, but I also didn't know that they had camps, either.
SupprimerThe fact that the French government tried to play victim is disgraceful. They had every right to rebel, but instead followed the guidelines of the Germans. One thing I like from Charles de Gaulle was that he made sure to punish any French citizens of war crimes. I believe it was around 3,000 people that were executed.
Supprimeri think that it's really sad that the french have chose to forget about their past and their wrong doings. something this huge is not something you can forget. adults need to own up to their faults and for an entire government to do this is very childish.
SupprimerI have not taken many history classes, so I only knew so much about World War II. I had no idea that the French government stripped Jewish citizens of their rights or that 76,000 Jews died in France during this war. Near the end of the chapter, the author states that the radio and advertisements were pretty much only war propaganda, and that French citizens did not really understand what was going on. It also turns out that the Vichy government and the Germans were involved in an intense legal battle over who would get confiscated Jewish goods, and they eventually settled on the Germans having ten percent. What is also interesting is that regular French citizens were taking part in getting these Jewish goods, as well, without a second thought. Marechal Petain, a member of the Vichy government, originally believed that he was complying with the Germans outwardly, and working secretly to get revenge later, but in reality, he was helping out the Germans, to the point that they did not send out many troops to France, as there was not much threat. Eventually, there was a group in France, a resistance group, who helped out many Jews and worked with Catholic schools to give them a safe place to stay. While France managed to save about 200,000 Jews during the war, it is unfortunate and disturbing that these details of World War II are not remembered or talked about often. This is a surprising twist, since the French seem to be all about their country’s history, and yet somehow are foggy on the details concerning France in World War II. I believe they should stay informed about their history, especially something as horrific as this.
RépondreSupprimerYeah this chapter certainly does not portray French society of the 1940's in a very positive light. However, war always corrupts society in some way or another. While i'm not saying the France's actions in WWII were acceptable or by any measures (the atrocities really were depressingly severe), it's not all that uncommon or surprising to me. I mean, during WWII in the US tons of Japanese citizens were forced to relocate to labor and internment camps merely because they were Japanese, and this detail is rarely ever mentioned in American history classes. I think the French do a better job of recognizing the negative aspects of their history then many Americans. Ultimately, persecution based on religious/political beliefs or ethnic background is never good and if we see it happening we should make sure to take a stand.
SupprimerThey say history books are written by the winner and in the case of France this had been true for many years. Just like every other country at some point, France has altered some of its history to show the government in a favorable light. Also similar to other countries, the truth about those instances is ugly and hard to believe. Like most Americans, I do not know that much about French history, so it came as a shock to read about how Germany did not really force France to take the horrendous actions that it did. As Pétain is famously quoted, “If you don’t do it, the Germans will. We must not let the German authority substitute the French authority.” This seemed to be the excuse that the French government readily used to justify their actions against the Jewish community, however, as the authors of this book point out, “There is no doubt anymore that France persecuted Jews on its own.” This statement, in part, leads to the elaboration that the anti-Semantic feelings had been prevalent for years in certain circles in France; Germany had only provided the means for these feelings to be acted out. The lack of organized resistance exemplifies the French capability to assimilate; they accepted the ideals of Germany under the guise of playing a double jeu. However, the French government tried to rectify their past by determining that anyone with French citizenship would be French, despite religious views, skin color, or any other defining characteristic.
RépondreSupprimerThe statement of "History is written by the victor" can apply here too, France willingly let German troops march virtually unapposed into Paris and surrendered to the Germans because they didnt want another repeat of what happend in the First World War, where France lost over 1.4 million soldiers fighting.
SupprimerI also agree with Sean when he said that there might've been some anti-Semantic feelings in France during that time, and all it took was Germany to start the flame and to others to start following their lead. and i think that is just discraceful. not only to the French government and their image to the public, but also to the people who had friends, family, and loved ones killed because of the French anti-Semantic feelings.
Well, you learn something new everyday I guess. I like history a lot, but I had absolutely no idea about all the specifics of WWII's impact on French culture. After reading this chapter, it's hard for me to process the information given. Up until now, Marlow and Benoit have for the most part created a really beautiful and idealistic portrait of French culture. In this chapter, we get an entirely different and dark insight into their past. Turns out, Germany was not alone in it's crusade against the Jews. French government also imposed a lot of sanctions and punishments for their Jewish community (i.e. forcing them to wear golden star, arresting them, and sending them on trains bound for Auschwitz. The Jews weren't the only target for Petain's government an that time, French communists and labor activists were also heavily targeted. Marlow and Benoit pointed out that during WWII the French regime was more concerned with combating communism than they were with taking revenge on Germany. It just goes to show how paranoid and irrational a society can become when they are at war.
RépondreSupprimerThat being said, in France's defense many citizens did stand up for their morals and joined the Resistance. Resistance members helped the Jewish community, fought Germany, and so forth. We also have to take into consideration the fact that France has not merely just brushed this history under the rug and pretended like it never happened. Owning up to your mistakes is always better than lying to yourself. It seems that the French want to learn from their past failures but also move forward with life: a life which is accepting of differences in skin color, religion, or ethnicity. Assimilation.
Chapter 7 was about the events of World War II that occurred in France. Often times, as American students, we hear about the US army facing hardships and retaliating with successful counter strikes. The French, on the other hand, were not so lucky. They were attacked and successfully invaded by the Germans who then divided their country into sections. Under invasion, the French were mistreated and killed by the Germans. The Jewish community was greatly affected during this time, because they already weren’t treated fairly in France. The invasion of the Germans heightened this unfair treatment. In fact, in the chapter, the author said that France was the second Western European country to have such harsh treatments of Jewish people outside of Germany at the time. After World War II ended, Charles de Gualle changed several things about the French Government that shaped France into what it is today. He tried and sentenced several people and removed some of the members of the French Government. Since then, France has been taking steps to prevent the repetition of their history. Such an idea as that is ideal, because it ensures the safety of the country as a whole.Going back to the Jewish community, I believe that World War II was one of the worst times for Jewish people. It seems like everywhere they went to seek refuge they were turned away and treated unfairly. Personally, I would not know what to do in a situation such as that.
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