It would appear Carmel Portelli has a very selective memory with regard to Charles De Gaulle. (December 16 “... the UK was not a team player”. Indeed?!

When in Britain’s darkest hour, France had folded, the General knew where to flee prior to the Nazis’ triumphant taking of Paris. We know where that was... Great Britain of course.

Also taking shelter in Great Britain were King Haakon VII of Norway, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, King Peter II of Yugoslavia and King George II of Greece. They had all relocated to London with their cabinet members or aides by the end of 1941.

One wonders why.

Allow me to paraphrase, with regard to De Gaulle:

“The end came with the surrender of France on June 22, 1940. The general had fled his country the day before as a new administration, headed by Philippe Petain, sought an armistice with Hitler. He (Hitler) insisted on signing the document of capitulation in the same railway carriage used when Germany had surrendered in 1918. The humiliation of France was complete.

“In a stirring radio appeal (from London) General de Gaulle declared himself leader of the “Free French”, spawning the French Resistance, which went on to play a crucial role in defeating the Germans.

“He told his nation that ‘the flame of the French resistance must not and will not be extinguished’.

“Posters displaying his words were put up all over London in the days that followed the broadcast, to galvanise French exiles.

“General de Gaulle was given a hero’s welcome after the liberation of Paris in August 1944 but historians point out that he was not seen as a saviour in 1940. They say his now revered broadcast went almost unnoticed at the time, with a very limited audience on the BBC French Service.”

Then came his “Non-Non-Non” toward a country that sheltered and protected him during those terrible years because he believed Britain was not a team player.

And for all of the British hospitality, he kicked the British nation in the teeth after that country was a real, formidable “team player” in one of the most horrendous times in the history of the world.

C’est la vie!

I wish Mr Portelli the compliments of the season.

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