No, not our own Deep State commanders speaking. That was the message in a letter that French generals sent to the young little guy with the old wife, in Paris.
Apparently the French military is one of those all chiefs and no--um, Native Gauls?--outfits. There are said to be thousands of retired French generals. Well, from what I hear we're getting to that point, too--so, no aspersion intended.
The major point in this is: How did the French public react, given that France does have a bit of a history of military involvement in politics?
Majority Of French Agree With Military Generals That Nation Is Nearing "Civil War", New Poll Finds
...
A survey by Harris Interactive found that 58% of respondents “support the words of the soldiers,” reports Valeurs.
A clear majority – 84% – said violence was increasing in society and 73% thought the country was disintegrating.
Almost three quarters think the “anti-racism” movement is having the opposite impact and making race relations worse.
Almost half (49%) also think that the military should be sent in to occupy problem areas, “which would act on its own to restore order.”
Only one in three respondents said the signatories should be punished, despite the minister in charge of the armed forces, Florence Parly, indicating that active duty members would face sanction.
Maybe Macron needs to launch a Domestic War on Terror. But that remedy can prove dicey--the military could heed the voice the people and "act on its own to restore order." It wouldn't be the first time by a long shot, and surely not the last.
“ A clear majority – 84% – said violence was increasing in society and 73% thought the country was disintegrating.”
ReplyDeleteTwo words: unfettered immigration. You can’t import a group of people who not only refuse to assimilate but expect the host nation to conform to them & their ideals & not expect chaos & unrest. But to that end I would submit it’s the “elites” strategy: “top down/bottom up/inside out” to quote the always-taking-putrid-to-the-next level CNN talking head Van Jones.
They’re doing the same thing here; witness our wide open southern border. They use the chaos as an excuse & justification for their tyrannical moves. See “COVID-19, Scamdemic”.
It’s a shame. France was once a great nation, possibly her greatest legacy is that of Bonaparte, a Corsican by birth; a truly brilliant mind & personality who’s impact is still felt around the world today.
After the Waterloo Campaign, Marshal Grouchy’s eternal shame is not falling on his own sword. He was supposed to stay between von Blucher & Wellington, keeping the two armies apart. He spent the rest of his life attempting to explain it away.
Boarwild
Of course, nothing compares to Marechal Ney being sent to southern France to arrest Napoleon after his escape from Elba and bring him back to Paris in an iron cage...only to once more throw in his lot with the Emperor as the rendezvous approached.
DeleteThen at Waterloo, he has 5 horses killed underneath him and shouts at the end, "come and see how a marshal of France meets his end" - an event to be repeated to some degree by Fabrizio Quattrocchi some 200 years later. Such Europeans are gone for good, I'm afraid
HH - agreed. Ney was Hard. Core. He commanded the rearguard on the retreat out of Russia, often shouldering a musket & a cartridge box & fighting alongside his men. They loved him for it.
DeleteMore than likely he probably suffered from PTSD; for 15yrs he was in the thick of it. One could argue this caused him to be impetuous; @ Waterloo he mistook Wellington’s refusing his line to be a retreat & led the French Curiassiers forward in a grand charge. However, he neglected to establish infantry or artillery support. With Wellington’s troops drawn up in infantry squares, there was little they could do against except be mown down by British volleys.
Sadly, Louis XVIII had him shot as a traitor.
“Such Europeans are gone for good”; I assume you’re familiar with the Earl of Uxbridge @ Waterloo? He was second in command under Lord Wellington & near the end of the battle a French artillery shell exploded & mangled his leg. Uxbridge looked down calmly @ his shattered leg & then back up @ Wellington:
Uxbridge: “My God Sire, I’ve lost my leg.”
Wellington glances down: “By God sir, so you have.”
They take Uxbridge to the surgeon’s tent where they proceed to amputate his leg @ the thigh. Uxbridge sat calmly smoking a cigar through the entire procedure, no chloroform or whiskey. He simply remarked @ one point he thought the knife “a bit dull.” He had his severed leg buried underneath a tree where he would make an annual visit to the battlefield @ every anniversary & pay his respects.
They don’t make men like that anymore.
Boarwild
yep, always visited the battlefield whenever I was on a trip to Mons, usually in the company of military officers. We'd climb the monument to survey the terrain and try to imagine what it must have been like on that fateful day...twas a close run thing indeed...hard not to root for both sides in a way, but then again, my wife is French so I have to root for the home team to avoid a Waterloo chez moi, if ya know what I mean :o)
DeleteVive L’Empereur! ;<)
DeleteBoarwild
The story of Uxbridge reminds me of the great Marine, Bull Fisher. He was commanding a battle in VietNam from a Huey, small helicopter, and was hit in the leg with a large caliber round. He was brought to a field medical, and shown on CBS News while the docs performed surgery on him. He declined anesthetics to stay sharp for the battle, and was barking out commands and troop movements
Deletewhile the surgeons were busy with his wound.
y'know I can't help but contrast Napoleon's last 100 days with Biden's first 100 days...quelle difference! It's just a shame that President Trump did not have more Marechal Neys supporting him than RINO Bourbons undermining him, sigh...Yeah, Mittens, I'm looking at you!
DeleteI suppose the question at this point is whether Donald Trump is on Elba or St Helena?
With apologies, should have included this in my last post. The feature film “Waterloo”(1970) with Christopher Plummer as Lord Wellington & Rod Steiger as Napoleon. With literally a cast of thousands it is also one of THE most historically accurate war films ever made. Directed by Sergei Bondarchuk, no stranger to epic films (War & Peace). It’s a tour de force, realistic with terrific performances.
ReplyDeleteWatch it free here: https://youtu.be/3DcWJrzK0wU
Boarwild
Another EU state trying to eat it's self?
ReplyDeleteI shouldn't poke fun, apparently their brass is more intelligent than our own.
Who could've guessed the French military would be more clear-eyed than our own politburo generals? Strange times.
DeleteBee