Posted by
ryuzaki0
on from the first-it-was-a-screwdriver dept.
weighn writes "The SMH has this story about an eccentric Frenchman who carries about 1300 useful items attached to his body by various means. A digital camera is mentioned, so I guess there may be some form of computing device nearby. Anyone else a bulging pocketed geek-scout?"
argh no no no
by
nomadic
·
· Score: 5, Informative
Well, the thing is France crumbled almost immediately. And they shouldn't have.
Well, maybe you didn't notice, but the Nazis were the most powerfull force in history at the time (they didn't start conquering the world on a double dare you know).
That's what the high school textbooks say. Unfortunately, like many things in the high school textbooks it's not quite accurate. France had a very large army, well-fortified, and after the invasion of Poland Britain also stationed troops in France.
Textbooks (well high school ones) also make a big deal about the German panzer divisions, but sometimes forget to mention that the French tanks were superior. The Germans just knew how to use them better.
So we have two well-equipped, sizeable forces in France, expecting an attack.
So what happens? The Germans flank the French, ignore the Maginot line, smash both the French and the British armies, and have reached the English channel in 8 days.
Yes, the constant insults about French courage are unfair, but they didn't exactly cover themselves with glory in 1940. Ditto for the British. It also doesn't help that the French have absolutely no sense of humor about themselves. Neither do the Germans, but the Germans at least have the excuse that they don't have a sense of humor about anything.
Slashdot Mirror
Well, the thing is France crumbled almost immediately. And they shouldn't have.
Well, maybe you didn't notice, but the Nazis were the most powerfull force in history at the time (they didn't start conquering the world on a double dare you know).
That's what the high school textbooks say. Unfortunately, like many things in the high school textbooks it's not quite accurate. France had a very large army, well-fortified, and after the invasion of Poland Britain also stationed troops in France.
Textbooks (well high school ones) also make a big deal about the German panzer divisions, but sometimes forget to mention that the French tanks were superior. The Germans just knew how to use them better.
So we have two well-equipped, sizeable forces in France, expecting an attack.
So what happens? The Germans flank the French, ignore the Maginot line, smash both the French and the British armies, and have reached the English channel in 8 days.
Yes, the constant insults about French courage are unfair, but they didn't exactly cover themselves with glory in 1940. Ditto for the British. It also doesn't help that the French have absolutely no sense of humor about themselves. Neither do the Germans, but the Germans at least have the excuse that they don't have a sense of humor about anything.