For shame. Paris liberation made 'whites only'

[Visna]

Prisoners were shot all the time by all sides, rarely was anything done about it.

Yes, prisoners were on occassion shot. But that's, not irrelevant more like.. not so relevant. What's relevant is first of all the orders regarding prisoners and even more relevant is how those prisoners were being treated if they, as the vast majority did, survived the initial capture. And that points to a major difference between the sides. Soviet POW's captured by the Germans had a deathrate of around 60% while Allied POW's in the same role were by and large being treated in accordance with The Geneva Convention of 1929. Likewise German POW's captured by the Russians had a fairly high death rate as well, particularly early in the war but not as high as their Soviet counterparts. Whereas German POW's captured by the Allies were also generally treated correctly.

[Bwaho]

There's a bit of a difference between forcing someone to sit at the back of the bus and roasting people in ovens...

and the lynchings, the systematical oppression of minorities by police, government officials and ordinary people.

the industrialized killings of millions of innocent civilians(men, women and children), with the clear goal to kill them all, justified with a crazy and human-despising ideology, is a one of a kind in history.

It's not the first time one ethnicity has been bent on eradicating another. Whether the killings are done with machetes or gas makes little difference in the end. So no it's not one of a kind in history.

What made it so different is that it happened in a civilized western country. When people thought of mass killings of civilians they thought of barbarian mongols etc, not Herr Schmidt with an education at a fine university in Vienna.

[The Devil's Sergeant]

Did I say otherwise?

[Gromovnik]

You know right, that is WW2 you are talking about? You remember, the one in which a certain army massacred millions of innocent civilians in cold blood and raped tens of thousands too.

Regardless, the rape of 600 women is hardly representative of the 130,000 men of the CEF, and not representative of the 280,000 African who fought in France's army against the Fascist scum.

Did I say otherwise?
And much more then 600 women were raped there. Not to mention killing of civilians. The fact that others did it is no excuse.

[Dr. Croccer]

At least the Americans treated minority troops better during the great war. We even had a poster made for them!

Seriously though, although treated like crap at home by most whites, the Black troops proved very valorous in combat. At least they were (somewhat) honored!

Coloured US troops in WWI weren't awarded with American medals but often received some from the French instead, because the US gov refused to award them if I'm not wrong.

I love the fact that the Germans all look like Bismarck and wear pickelheaubes in the pic.

[Thorn777]

You don't read many news, do you? It was one of a kind in that it was done by a central European country, it's not one of its kind when compared to all the stuff that went on in the 20th century all around the globe and till today...

Sadly, even in scale it can be contested...

Really, you dont read much of my posts, do you? Look, get the entire context of the long sentence I wrote and you will see why its a one of a kind.

Quoting my self: "with the clear goal of killing them all(genocide)". Now place that in the context of the industrialized cold blooded effectivity of the concentration-camps these mass-murders where conducted in, and you will see the still exclusive evil, frightening and cold face that it has.

I know you are just jumping on Gabarsardars bandwagon, I "read the news" my friend, no need for low blows. Although I surely can relate to what he is saying, and believe it plays a major role to, nonetheless I am convinced that there is more to it then only one reason.

[Gromovnik]

Here's an another account of crimes commited by the Senegalese, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian soldiers in French service:http://members.iinet.net.au/~gduncan...xis.html#Italy
It appears that they continued with their crimes in occupied Germany as well.

[Kiljan Arslan]

your point being pannonius?

[Каие]

Did I say otherwise?

Yes in fact. You implied it.

And much more then 600 women were raped there. Not to mention killing of civilians. The fact that others did it is no excuse.

Wasn't trying to excuse it, I was trying to say the actions of a few indisciplined angry soldiers does not constitute a justified label to over 280,000 men. Neither do those tiny minority of actions mire or dirty the bravery and honour displayed by them. Or any soldier of the armies.

I love the fact that the Germans all look like Bismarck and wear pickelheaubes in the pic.

[Exarch]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7984436.stm

A sad story of how due to racism of the extreme the 65% of Frances army was not allowed to march into Paris in order to keep it ''whites only''. Not much to say, but for shame to all involved. The Americans for insisting on it via their own views, the French for complying like spineless and traitorous fools, and the British for sitting idly by dishonouring the Indian Army.

ing disgusting

i reckon the french government should hold another victory parade for these veterans, treat them and their relatives to a week holiday around the capitol at USG and french expense.

[motiv-8]

I've always viewed WWII as an attempt to keep Germany from ruling the world. Not as a platform for the Allies to showcase their moral high ground. In other words, dreadfully off topic and irrelevant to the OP.

Thank you.

Anybody sitting in their comfy leather chair sixty years after the fact remarking upon "moral high ground" is so completely out of touch that it would be much wiser to keep their mouth shut.

Here's an another account of crimes commited by the Senegalese, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian soldiers in French service:http://members.iinet.net.au/~gduncan...xis.html#Italy
It appears that they continued with their crimes in occupied Germany as well.

I'm sorry, perhaps I'm a bit slow, or perhaps I'm having trouble wading through the large list of German atrocities, but I cannot seem to find what you are indicating on that page.

It's not the first time one ethnicity has been bent on eradicating another. Whether the killings are done with machetes or gas makes little difference in the end. So no it's not one of a kind in history.

Actually, it makes a huge difference. No amount of genocide has ever been so systematic, industrial, or otherwise organized, or so complicit, as what the Nazis did in the Holocaust. Failure to see the peculiarities of the situation will make prevention of such acts in the future more difficult. It was historically unique.

[Thorn777]

@Bwaho

It's not the first time one ethnicity has been bent on eradicating another.

Lets not forget it was not only about eradicating another, it was about eradicating or enslaving anyone not "Aryan" enough. Lets say 3/4 of the worlds population.

Whether the killings are done with machetes or gas makes little difference in the end. So no it's not one of a kind in history.

Im really convinced it does. They where baking people like they where baking bread. The sheer coldblooded industry it had become to slaughter as much as possible is to me certainly different from anything before.

[cottontail]

Here's an another account of crimes commited by the Senegalese, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian soldiers in French service:http://members.iinet.net.au/~gduncan...xis.html#Italy
It appears that they continued with their crimes in occupied Germany as well.

What does that have to do with anything? I could find accounts of white Americans commiting warcrimes, but that won't prove anything.

[Fibur]

I agree with most of what I've been said: it is a shame for us to have forgotten them after what they did.

A point about their absence on monuments: that is easily understandable. Most memorials have only the names of the local boys who died in the war. The only "universal" memorial is the tomb of the unknown soldier in PAris.

[Markas]

I agree with most of what I've been said: it is a shame for us to have forgotten them after what they did.

A point about their absence on monuments: that is easily understandable. Most memorials have only the names of the local boys who died in the war. The only "universal" memorial is the tomb of the unknown soldier in PAris.

Good to see a Frenchman with a keen sense of honour. A pity some of your compatriots will not deign it important enough to comment.

[Gromovnik]

Yes in fact. You implied it.

So, you can read other peoples minds? I was just giving one of possible reasons for the Allied command's decision. It's good to examine every aspect of the story.

[Каие]

Implications have nothing to do with mind reading but interpreting text. As for your newest implication...the reason was clear. They wanted white faces only. They had no problem putting in Moroccans who looked white, so no the reason as not an isolated incident of indiscipline.

[Fibur]

Rape is unfortunately one of the horrors of war. It does'nt know any race, religion or political implication: some hundreds of French women were raped by American GIs after the landings in Normandy. There are bastards in every armies.

[Каие]

That's my point.

[Centurion-Lucius-Vorenus]

There was an excellent documentary on this on Radio 4 yesterday. The dishonouring of the African soldiers that fought for France continues today. Their pensions were slashed in the fifties and they are barely represented by any monument or museum. It's a national disgrace.

It's not just the Berber, Arab and African soldiers of the 40's it's their descendants today who are second-class citizens. France has a police force which can attack anyone it want's to with impunity because the justice system is so biased in favor of the cops. These attacks mostly fall on Black and Arab Immigrants (And whites too as well, sometimes) with usually no justification for the amount of force used.

France also has a host of other issues to deal with in regards to racism. The fact that Le Pen, who talks about a sanctity of blood, and criticized Sarkozy just for not being ethnic French gets 10 percent of the popular vote is sign enough. Alot of time being of descent from another European country is enough, my great-grandfather was ridiculed for being Russian when he moved to France. But forget it when your not even white, you face alot of discrimination when you apply for a job or even if you just want to walk into a nightclub.