| 17. "The French brag a lot about the fighting they did, but you don't hear any Americans passing out bouquets to them." General Patton cabled General Koenig, the French commander of the FFI, that the spectacular advance of his (Patton's) army across France would have been impossible without the fighting aid of the FFI. General Patch estimated that from the time of the Mediterranean landings to the arrival of our troops at Dijon, the help given to our operations by the FFI was equivalent to four full divisions. The Maquis who defended the Massif Central, in the south-central part of France, had two Nazi divisions stymied; they kept those two divisions from fighting against us. Perhaps some of us don't like to pass out bouquets - to anyone but ourselves. Perhaps we have short memories. |