Day 296

Bastile Day

Today is Bastile Day, the anniversary of the day that started the French Revolution.  In conjunction with Celebrating with an international parade, President Sarkozy announces his intent for France's military expansion and his vow not to cut spending on military technology.  What are we defending ourselves from anyway?

Day 258

Today is the anniversary of D-Day.  From the Wiki:

Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the main landing points of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on June 6 1944, during World War II.

The beach was located on the northern coast of France, facing the English Channel, and was 5 miles (8 km) long, from (coming from the sea) east of Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes to west of Vierville-sur-Mer on the right bank of the Douve river estuary. Landings here were necessary in order to link up the British landings to the east with the American landing to the west at Utah beach, thus providing a continuous lodgement on the Normandy coast of the Bay of the Seine. Taking Omaha was to be the responsibility of United States Armytroops, with sea transport provided by the U.S. Navy and elements of the Royal Navy.

On D-Day, the untested 29th Infantry Division, joined by eight companies of U.S. Army Rangers redirected from Pointe du Hoc, were to assault the western half of the beach. The battle-hardened 1st Infantry Divisionwas given the eastern half. The initial assault waves, consisting of tanks, infantry and combat engineer forces, were carefully planned to reduce the coastal defences and allow the larger ships of the follow-up waves to land.

Day 253

Day 199

French Union Workers

French workers of the CGT (Confederation generale du travail) trade union lock up their bosses in the British owned Scapa Group, in southern France.

"Staff at French plants run by Sony, 3M and Caterpillar have also held managers inside factories overnight to demand better layoff terms -- a form of labour action dubbed "bossnapping" by the media."

Day 174

I didn't have access to internet, so I drew up a handkerchief in honor of my first trip to France.

Day 172

France and NATO

After four decades....

France will re-enter NATO's integrated military command, France's President Nicolas Sarkozy announced this afternoon. He said that the move was “in the interest of France and of Europe”.

Bailout for French Auto Makers

The French are next in line to weigh the possibility of giving aid to auto manufacturers.  The loans are raising concerns from other European Union countries.  The European Commission is requesting clarification of the bailout plan to avoid any legal worries.  Slovakia has come out to voice concerns of protectionism and Germany in regard to distortion of competition law.