Recollections From a 106 YEAR OLD WWII Veteran of France

Recollections From a 106 YEAR OLD WWII Veteran of France | History Traveler Episode 359

Рет қаралды 16,703

Ай бұрын

It is becoming increasing more rare to hear the accounts of WWII from the men who were there. For Americans, it's even MORE rare to hear those accounts from a French soldier. We had the opportunity to sit down with a 106 YEAR OLD veteran of WWII who fought against the Germans in 1940 during the invasion of France and was taken prisoner by the Germans while holding them back as Allied troops were being evacuated at Dunkirk. For us, this one is a little bit different but hopefully one that you'll find of value.
For more on The Rifle, visit: thewwiirifle.com
For more on WWII Veterans Memories, visit: ww2veteransmemories.org
This episode was produced in partnership with The Gettysburg Museum of History. See how you can support history education & artifact preservation by visiting their website & store at www.gettysburgmuseumofhistory...
Support the effort to expand history education on PATREON: / historyunderground
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- D-Day 80: A Normandy Veteran's Return to Utah Beach | History Traveler Episode 355: • A Normandy Veteran's R...
- D-Day 80: A Veteran Visit to the Normandy American Cemetery | History Traveler Episode 354: • A Veteran Visit to the...

Пікірлер: 110

@RiseFromTheDead Ай бұрын

My brain cannot process the fact that this man was born during WW1. A breathing, walking, talking history book. Witness to changes and events we can only read about. Absolutely incredible.

@user-qs7gx7rp7m Ай бұрын

By the time you are 75, you will be amazed at how quickly life speeds by. A century is easy to grasp.

@dawnberthold3894 Ай бұрын

Thank you, JD, for honoring this man and all French soldiers in WW2. His memory is amazing.

@David-tm8sl Ай бұрын

An amazing story from an amazing man. He is incredible for 106 years old!!!

@larrydemaar409 Ай бұрын

This veteran was so interesting! I talked to a French veteran about 15 years ago. He was born in 1921 and died in 2011. He was from Charmes, France. He told me that he surrendered in 1940 because he was surrounded and out of food and ammunition. He told me that the Germans let him walk home and did not make him a POW.

@northsongs Ай бұрын

Glad you are keeping these incredible stories alive. Thanks!

@cyndiebill6631 Ай бұрын

God Bless this man. He’s living history and we all should be very honored to hear his amazing story. Hearing the stories for the Veterans who lived them is amazing. Thank you JD for bringing his story to us.❤️😊

@bobbennett7195 Ай бұрын

Fantastic story, Thank you for sharing. 106 years old wow. and he still moves around pretty good. God Bless him.

@Chiller11 Ай бұрын

Fascinating interview. I never considered that the French WW2 veterans would be ostracized for their capitulation. It was, of course, the responsibility of the political and military leadership and not a reflection on the courage of the French soldiers. I see parallels with returning veterans of my particular Southeast Asian conflict. Fascinating interview. I’m pleased I got to hear it before either he or I cross that river. Looking at him I don’t know where I’d put my money

@jimplummer4879 Ай бұрын

I agree. It was the French Government not their soldiers.

@markwebster6568 Ай бұрын

And just imagine what that man has seen and experienced throughout his 106 ( DAMN )!!!!!!!! years of life. I could feel the very hard lessons as I watched the video. From this veteran to my brothers of that generation and French people, I raise a drink. SALUTE

@PelicanIslandLabs Ай бұрын

What an incredible man. Thanks you Sir for your service!

@davidhunt3808 Ай бұрын

One word respect !! Amazing to hear this gentleman !!

@ronaldsinclair6837 Ай бұрын

Just phenomenal.

@MuscleCarSolutions Ай бұрын

This is why I follow this channel. Thank you JD, for helping to preserve this history from an actual participant. Priceless.

@briansteinmacher5811 Ай бұрын

Thank you for another wonderful interview. His memory is amazing!

@stevesloat6544 Ай бұрын

That video was awesome to listen to him and his experiences

@ymcavalier3555 Ай бұрын

Thanks for celebrating this special veteran

@robertdelacruz2951 Ай бұрын

What a wonderful interview! Thank you.

@Indiana_vador_47 Ай бұрын

Merci pour cette interview. Un grand respect pour ce vétéran.

@la_old_salt2241 Ай бұрын

JD, please tell me this is just one installment with this man!

@TheHistoryUnderground Ай бұрын

Yes, this is the only one.

@MarineOne- Ай бұрын

Again great work JD. Very touching thank you

@MrBradleyDavid Ай бұрын

Incredible story! I never knew any of what happened to French soldiers captured at the beginning of the war. I only knew of the free French and the Vichy Army. I love his headgear. Was someone taking care of him with that, was it gifted? He certainly deserved to wear it. I’ve been passing out challenge coins since last year and each time I earn a good conversion with another veteran. It’s sad that his generation was disrespected by others for what happened with their defeat. Like them our Vietnam veterans were disrespected. A couple of the Vietnam generation told me they were kicked out of the VFWs, one told me he was told he had “5 seconds to make it to the door,” before he would be kicked out. He certainly has earned the respect he deserves, and my administration as well.

@MrBradleyDavid Ай бұрын

Keep them coming JD!

@brunol-p_g8800 Ай бұрын

It was not their really their defeat. Marshall Petain and older generals were plotting to take the power, and made everything for it, including letting the way to Paris wide open to German troops by giving orders to troops to move elsewhere and by restraining their supplies. Their plan was to put pression on the government to resign and give the power to Marshal Pétain. Pétain presented himself as the man of the situation and of course everybody believed the great man of Verdun. Everyone was dumbfounded when He signed the armistice and told everyone to stop fighting in his radio speech. Little did they know that Petain hated the republic and wanted it down. He needed the reins of the country to establish a regime in his image, and he did just that. He viewed the cooperation with Hitler as highly beneficial, with German troops stationed in France taking care of any dissidents, and believed sighting with Germany was a wining bet. He believed that it would give rise to a Europe without democracies, where everything he hated (political parties, socialists and communists, etc.) wouldn’t exist. A lot of people forget that Pétain was a man of the 19th century.

@davidarneman Ай бұрын

I can tell you had a look of awe in your face by the Veterans smile during the reminisce. How's the cheeks feel?

@johnstup4479 Ай бұрын

This was truly amazing! Thank you JD for sharing this veteran’s story.

@ldg1030 Ай бұрын

What an incredible sharp veteran. Many like my stepfather never talked about what they witnessed. It wasn’t until Steven Spielberg’s Shoah Foundation did I understand why. He lost his entire family in the concentration camps. Thank you, Again JD for all that you do keep the stories (and truth) from not being forgotten.

@kdcowboy9478 Ай бұрын

Thanks JD incredible video and man here.

@bobcalderon2534 Ай бұрын

Thanks to the 106 yr. Old. Veteran ❤

@hankgr64 Ай бұрын

We had the honor of having lunch with him a few weeks ago. Amazing man and in great shape for his age. Totally off topic but I watched him cut chicken from the bone with the skill of a surgeon.

@TheHistoryUnderground Ай бұрын

I was thoroughly impressed by him.

@danielhillier7417 Ай бұрын

Incredible video JD. As a Brit hearing part of the French story from a French man who fought is really new to me. I've heard lots from the British side, the US side etc but never those who were truly on the forefront of the War. One of the countries that was attacked early on.

@1psychofan Ай бұрын

A big THANK YOU to the interpreter!

@markfinnegan2707 11 күн бұрын

@Florent Plana is one of, possible the, best WWII ETO Historians on the planet!!

@frenchfan3368 Ай бұрын

Wow! What an interview! This interview with a French soldier from the Second World War complements the one from a couple of years ago with the German veteran. These people who survived the Second World are not called the Greatest Generation without a reason. Lafayette, nous voilà !

@lisamoore6804 Ай бұрын

Thank you for your service! What an awesome man.

@ShaunUnderwoodx Ай бұрын

Its so sad that we lose our heroes in the numbers we do everyday.. This was a perfect interview JD.. please do more of the same when its possible. I love hearing from Veterans of WW2. Wish it could have been longer though but Thanks again JD.. Your the man ? watched your channel grow from the start and its one to the greatest channels on the tube

@bluephoenix5410 Ай бұрын

I absolutely love what you do you have the greatest job/hoppy . I watch your videos as soon as you upload

@ALiz86 Ай бұрын

Incredible! God bless this man. He doesn't look a day over 70! What an amazing history he has. Merci beaucoup Monsieur pour votre service. Que Dieu te bénisse! Merci d'avoir partagé vos expériences pendant et après la guerre. Je suis si heureux que vous ayez survécu et que vous puissiez partager ce que vous et beaucoup d'autres hommes avez vécu.

@MrWhitelightning73 Ай бұрын

These conversations are absolutely priceless. Better than all the history books in the world.

@robstark6899 Ай бұрын

This was a fascinating interview JD! Thank you for doing this as there have been so many with American, British and Canadians as well as Germans but getting the experiences and viewpoints of a French soldier is rare and absolutely amazing, especially with such a sharp 106 year old man. Thank you sir for your service and thank you JD and especially Flo for making this happen for us! I was riveted.

@debrasams2362 Ай бұрын

Wonderful video! So interesting to hear from someone who survived this horrible time.

@terryeustice5399 Ай бұрын

Very interesting JD Thank you for sharing this old French soldier’s story. 💯👊👍💕

@Wreckdiver59 Ай бұрын

Thanks for telling his story JD. He's pretty sharp for 106 years old. An interesting look at what happened during the fall of France in WWII. I think they said Epernal, although I couldn't find a lot of detail on what took place around that time. The timeline was a little confusing. The armistice wasn't signed until June 22, although fighting still went on in some of the Maginot forts through the end of June. de Gaulle ran away to England on the 17th.

@jean-marclesaicherre3574 Ай бұрын

It is Épinal

@eamo106 Ай бұрын

First thing to say, the translator is excellent in accurately encapsulating what the veteran is saying. 106 years amazing ! Just visit the Museums in Paris. Napoleon, WWI is given much room and space, the French in WWII was small, but these WWII veterans need more story and space ! The French captives like a Dutch captive from my family group tried to escape. Brilliant ! 106 and better recall and me !

@Niteowlette Ай бұрын

Another amazing interview! 👏👏 I love hearing these stories from our WW2 veterans, and am very glad they are finally telling about their experieces so that posterity will (hopefully) learn and never forget. Any historian or history buff knows that France was our first and most important ally during the American revolution, and our beloved General Lafayette looms large in U.S. history. Debt repaid in full.

@pauldouglas3084 Ай бұрын

Really enjoyed the video mate can't wait for the next one

@antonioperez2623 Ай бұрын

A remarkable account of living history. Thank you JD.

@corychecketts Ай бұрын

Stunning work as always, JD. Thank you 🙏🏻

@1psychofan Ай бұрын

This is an incredible interview! My mind is blown! This man has seen so much! Just wow!

@Regina-ov7yi Ай бұрын

I hold all veterans of all wars to the highest level of respect. War now is not what it was then in any form or fashion. This man is an enigma. He has seen and experienced the worst of times before most of our parents were born. Thank you sir for your devoted service toward world peace.

@Jess-cg4eg Ай бұрын

So amazing! Thank you for sharing his story and those like his!

@Chris-Nico Ай бұрын

Fascinating! Thanks always JD. And thanks for the gesture to him about the American Revolution. I have told my French friends the same. Viva Lafeyette! 🇫🇷🇺🇸

@agmcg81 Ай бұрын

What an incredible man. What an incredible story. Thank you to all 3 of you for sharing this absolutely amazing story. I can't put into words, my gratitude for guys like Jean. An outstanding video. Thank you for sharing it with us. Thank you Jean. Merci beaucoup!

@dawndickson2156 Ай бұрын

What an amazing video. I need to rewatch to process all this veteran has to share. What a gift for you to have met this man.

@brunol-p_g8800 Ай бұрын

He had a lot more to say, but the guy translating told him to just answer the questions. It’s a pity.

@tomboustead7588 Ай бұрын

Thank you for the great video and sharing a French perspective. This is my favorite kind of video where you let the story tell its self. I can’t wait till the next video series

@sandramosley2801 Ай бұрын

Incroyable; incredible, as the French would say. Great work.

@jasonnulton4124 Ай бұрын

This is just awesome.

@wildcolonialman Ай бұрын

Fabulous.

@dankorolyk5917 Ай бұрын

Amazing story

@camdodge9891 Ай бұрын

Thank you awesome video JD what a incredible man and born in 1917 during World war 1 just wow and keep up the good work JD

@SigmaNuHE481 Ай бұрын

I hope I look that good if I live to be that old

@joes8087 Ай бұрын

wow amazing i think i could ask this man about a million different questions

@luskimo1 Ай бұрын

absolutely amazing!the stories of the French veterans seem to be lost as many (including myself)assumed that after France's surrender...that was the end of their stories...one always hear of the Underground and their escapades ...

@marionjohansson4235 Ай бұрын

Amazing….😮

@RK57AZ Ай бұрын

Hey JD, I was really hoping that you would have asked this French soldier/pow what he did to survive during his captivity? He seems to have a good sense of humor and looks like he might have been a prankster? The way he grinned talking about his escape/recapture and a couple of other conversations he seems like he had a good coping mechanism. I hope that you have other stories for some of our allies? We need to recognize them as well. Great job Mr.

@maggiemcmac8273 Ай бұрын

Wonderful video. It must have been very difficult for the French to see their country just handed over to the Germsns. God Bless Mr. Turco.

@vaughnbluejr5960 Ай бұрын

What a memory at 106. I don't have that good a memory at 73.

@Headstoneman 26 күн бұрын

What an incredible story! For me it’s hard to understand what the people from these other countries went through… I think our American history is flooded with what the war was about and how the Jews and the Americans were affected but not so much about how the other European countries and their people were affected. Thank you for bringing this to us.

@ShaunUnderwoodx Ай бұрын

JD...this was brilliant. They do say that The French do live long lives .Either way JD my good man. Thank you Sir ..OMG 106

@ncwoodworker Ай бұрын

Jean looks and sounds great at 107 years old.

@golfump Ай бұрын

it's a goddamn shame. That this wasn't spoken about 50 years ago. now at the end, are we finally trying to come up with all the stories? perhaps there is why they are the greatest generation. They took it on the chin and just kept moving forward. Nobody was a victim back then.

@1psychofan Ай бұрын

This guy should write a book!

@WFMeyer Ай бұрын

Great video JD. Jean is a Frnech National Treasure. It's a damn shame guys from his era were ostracized and discrimiated against by the WWI vets.

@dougcostello9064 Ай бұрын

Very interesting interview. This is a part of WWII that you don’t hear much about.

@Gigrunt887 Ай бұрын

God bless this man

@NDB469 Ай бұрын

Wow, interesting story, not very well known here in the states, how the French army was involved and how they kept on fighting even though their govt signed an armistice.

@ricksmith4874 Ай бұрын

What a in creditable man. I would most likely be a blithering idiot if I live as long as he has. And I suspect that he has quite a few more years ahead . Thanks for posting this interview JD.

@garyshope8378 28 күн бұрын

U have the best job ever

@gaylewilliamson9183 Ай бұрын

❤👍🇺🇸 Amazing gentleman.

@helenabiesma5560 Ай бұрын

he has a similar story that my father never told and he was a engineering student and being enlisted in university he was wanted to work again in the factories and that was he never wanted at all as you get labelled as well and so he was hiding and never found him but they shot his best friend who also was a student again I never heard that story too

@brunol-p_g8800 Ай бұрын

Something very interesting, as Jean said as well as in another interview for a French Radio. His unit received orders to join the army of the Vosges, a 400’000 thousand men army. Other units also did or were regrouped in other places, where they were greeted by the Germans who told them to lay down their arms (as Marshall Pétain had told in the June 17th radio speech). They thought that they were going to go home as the armistice had been signed, but the Germans said no. Marshall Pétain had, himself, written a close in the armistice, he was giving them away to the Germans as POWs (if you want to understand why see my next comment below, explaining the political situation). So Jean is saying he his quite mad about all these remarks about the French waving white flags as soon as they saw Germans, as it is untrue and very far away from the truth. Especially when the French fought valiantly against the Germans and lost more than 70’000 men and more than 120 000 wounded in such a short time, and unlike the allies in 1944 the French were fighting against the entire German forces. While in 1944 most of the Germans were fighting on the western front, already suffered higher losses in men and materials and the allies didn’t encounter even half of the force the French had to fight against in 1940. Later in his life and after the war, Jean became a deputy in the French National Assembly.

@brunol-p_g8800 Ай бұрын

Marshall Petain and older generals were plotting to take the power, and made everything for it, including letting the way to Paris wide open to German troops by giving orders to troops to move elsewhere and by restraining their supplies. Their plan was to put pression on the government to resign and give the power to Marshal Pétain. Pétain presented himself as the man of the situation and of course everybody believed the great man of Verdun. Everyone was dumbfounded when He signed the armistice and told everyone to stop fighting in his radio speech. Little did they know that Petain hated the republic and wanted it down. He needed the reins of the country to establish a regime in his image, and he did just that. He viewed the cooperation with Hitler as highly beneficial, with German troops stationed in France taking care of any dissidents, and believed sighting with Germany was a wining bet. He believed that it would give rise to a Europe without democracies, where everything he hated (political parties, socialists and communists, etc.) wouldn’t exist. A lot of people forget that Pétain was a man of the 19th century.

@agmcg81 Ай бұрын

Thanks for writing this. It's very interesting and something I never knew.

@justinweaver8107 Ай бұрын

May God have mercy❤

@Bobby-ot2ft Ай бұрын

@marylynnmazzocco5367 Ай бұрын

A little known story in the US

@Regina-ov7yi Ай бұрын

You are aware that all parachuting drop zones on Ft. Bragg NC are named for beaches of D-Day. My 82 Airborne Division husband who served two back to back tours in Vietnam nearly died on St Merieglese drop zone after a rigger cut cords in packed parachutes. He then developed cancer from agent orange and he rests in Tennessee today. He got his doctorate in first century history before he had to go away. Let's not let Vietnam be forgotten. It was a god awful and ugly war.

@MiJacFan1 28 күн бұрын

God bless those young boys who were turned into REAL men real quick. The experiences they went through, the trauma, the excitement of hearing from home being an ocean away. I loved it when old boy got in that deuce and a 1/2! Just fire it up, they said. He was taking off! Too funny! Grand theft auto!😂

@lelandkelley2199 Ай бұрын

The French soldiers after the American revolution stayed in Williamsburg after the Yorktown surrender for several years. Some stayed.

@_Winterz Ай бұрын

Thank you for that. Unfortunately since France did not want to follow the Bush administration in Iraq in 2003, French-bashing has become the norm... despite what our soldiers actually did before, during WW2, and since then.. Thanks!

@sbishop6450 Ай бұрын

Its hard to believe he is 106! Hes got a remarkable memory. We need to be reminded that those in the occupied countries during WW2 suffered horribly if they resisted the Nazi's. (248 years ago the French and English were always fighting each other even in America! Yes we know we lost the war of independence as we are so often reminded of it!! Best thing we did to loose so America could grow and become what it is today.) uk 😀

@swampfizz Ай бұрын

what if in a strange way life deals you these cards? quite possibly if he didnt end up a POW he may have died 30 years ago..the experience strengthened his body and soul...but who wants to outlive your kids

@dawnlefevre9172 Ай бұрын

106!!! He looks to maybe be 80! What a GREAT perspective!!!

@user-qs7gx7rp7m Ай бұрын

The excellent state of this 106 yr old (seems 70ish) health of body and mind, is proof that he has both nutured and mastered his bad habits. 'Mark Twain' assures us, The sure cure to any illness is a bad habit. Give it up and you will recover but be sure take up another bad habit just in case you get sick again.

@stephenbarabas6286 Ай бұрын

106 years old and he hasn't learned to speak English??? What the heck... (Yes this a joke towards everyone that thinks the whole world speaks English) 😂😂😂

@TheHistoryUnderground Ай бұрын

😂