Will England fans really sing the French national anthem tomorrow?

[sir albion]

Certainly wasn't sung by many that's for sure,but not the easiest national anthem to sing for an Englishman.

 

[Triggaaar]

Have you ever heard of the French resistance? Have you ever visited any of the parts of France where there are memorials by the side of the road which say things like "this is where three members of the FFI were brought from hospital by the SS and shot because of their resistance activities". Have you ever heard of or visited Oradour sur Glanne, in the Perigord Vert, where a whole village was destroyed after its inhabitants had been rounded up and shot in the Church.

I think the men were put in barns, and the women in children in the church, and they were all set on fire. Of course the French suffered in the war, there were many brave civilians that resisted, risking everything. I'm not sure that the French rulers were so great though, handing over their navy etc so that it could join the German war effort.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Certainly wasn't sung by many that's for sure,but not the easiest national anthem to sing for an Englishman.

Not sung by many? Did you count them? Where you there?

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

Certainly wasn't sung by many that's for sure,but not the easiest national anthem to sing for an Englishman.

It was hard to tell just from the video but it sounded pretty decent to me. I think regardless of who actually sung, the FA did a great job with this and the support shown by the England fans is something we should be proud of.

 

[sir albion]

Not sung by many? Did you count them? Where you there?

GSTQ was loud and the French anthem sounded like it was sung by the French only and not many more.
I have ears and it wasn't loud at all

 

[Norman Potting]

This happens a lot and not just France. If you have some moron you don't like the best and easiest way to annoy/frustrate him is to roll the shutters down on the language. Seen it happen numerous times.

This - I like France and if you are nice to the people there they are generally nice to you. If you at least have a go at speaking their language they will help you out, and on several occassions I have had some good natured impromptu pronounciation lessons from affable folk there. Also often, after a an attempt at some mangled Gallic phraseology, you get met with a smile and a near perfect "we can do this in English if you prefer"!

 

[heathgate]

This - I like France and if you are nice to the people there they are generally nice to you. If you at least have a go at speaking their language they will help you out, and on several occassions I have had some good natured impromptu pronounciation lessons from affable folk there. Also often, after a an attempt at some mangled Gallic phraseology, you get met with a smile and a near perfect "we can do this in English if you prefer"!

Exactly....it has been my experience over many great trips to France......not quite as receptive in Germany in my experience, but that could be that their view is skewed by the long term presence of tens of thousands of NATO troops....just my view.

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

Certainly wasn't sung by many that's for sure,but not the easiest national anthem to sing for an Englishman.

Some Englishman, not all. I would imagine a fairly sizable quantity gave not one single toss about singing it, nor felt any difficulty in doing so.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

GSTQ was loud and the French anthem sounded like it was sung by the French only and not many more.
I have ears and it wasn't loud at all

I suspect you hear what you want to hear.

 

[piersa]

Sounded like a lot of people made the effort. Well done them. A lot of people don't seem to get the solidarity sentiment. By singing the anthem, you don't have to love the French, it just shows that you stand with them at this time.

 

[marshy68]

That's as maybe, however the overall picture of France in WW2 was not of a nation resisting German tyranny. The French state accepts this fact........

http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1880118,00.html

I would also suggest this book (linked below), the author of whom (I understand) was recognised by the French state, despite this damning analysis of France during WW2.

The essential truth being that France embraced many of the consequences of occupation enthusiastically..........tragic but true.

That is not to damn the whole nation and its people as cheese eating surrender monkeys' as you quaintly put it, however if people are going to venerate France as a distinguished ally in WW2 then let's have the full story.

Not too much to ask is it?

http://cup.columbia.edu/book//9780231124690

Have you ever wondered how we would have faired under Nazi occupation for 5 years had we not be lucky enough to be an island?

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

20 pages in an not one mention of "mime".

Externally shows an effort to participate, whilst internally allowing the individual to maintain their personal beliefs / ethics.

Everyone happy?

 

[Knotty]

I suspect you hear what you want to hear.

Nail on the head!

 

[Ian Bairds Fist]

GSTQ was loud and the French anthem sounded like it was sung by the French only and not many more.
I have ears and it wasn't loud at all

I was at the back of the England 'Home End' and the vast majority sang along, or at least hummed. As you say, not the easiest to join in with, but the effort was certainly there.

The England fans last night were a credit to their country, as was the team and the FA.

 

[lawros left foot]

Certainly wasn't sung by many that's for sure,but not the easiest national anthem to sing for an Englishman.

Top fishing

 

[Giraffe]

I was at the back of the England 'Home End' and the vast majority sang along, or at least hummed. As you say, not the easiest to join in with, but the effort was certainly there.

The England fans last night were a credit to their country, as was the team and the FA.

I was in the middle of the home end (white part of the flag) and I would say most tried a good part of it. Hard to read the screens whilst holding the piece of paper in front of your face though. Would have been good to have had the words on the bits of paper, but I guess they had very little time to organise that.

 

[cunning fergus]

Have you ever wondered how we would have faired under Nazi occupation for 5 years had we not be lucky enough to be an island?

Not really because apart from the Channel islands it didnt happen, I would rather focus on the factual reality.

Having delved into this subject I would rather send time understanding the reasons why so many of the French (particularly its upper/political classes) were so willing to calloborate with a fascist Germany.

The answers are not a revelation, as it has much to do with the shock of WW1 and their own ongoing internal political divisions which were disasterous for national unity. French politics was deep in the shadow of the wider struggle between communism and facism that arose in continental Europe after WW1, and had its own issues of endemic anti semitism.

This is the difference between factual history and empathic history..............I want to discuss the facts you want to discuss with what it feels like.

 

[FREDBINNEY]

M

Have you ever heard of the French resistance? Have you ever visited any of the parts of France where there are memorials by the side of the road which say things like "this is where three members of the FFI were brought from hospital by the SS and shot because of their resistance activities". Have you ever heard of or visited Oradour sur Glanne, in the Perigord Vert, where a whole village was destroyed after its inhabitants had been rounded up and shot in the Church. Have you ever heard about the resistance activities which supported the allied retaking of Southern France around Provence.

Yes, there was collaboration, but there are two sides to every story. We have some very good friends in Alsace who have told us of the dangers children ran in harrying German troops and then running off in to the forests that they knew so well, of the whole extended family standing with all the windows open singing la Marsellaise fiercely proudly as German Troops marched past.

The seeming dismissal of a whole nation as "cheese eating surrender monkeys really annoys me and is far from the truth.

Wow, amazing bravery.
What's the French national flag ? A white cross on a white background

 

[FREDBINNEY]

Have you ever wondered how we would have faired under Nazi occupation for 5 years had we not be lucky enough to be an island?

We'd have put up a lot more of a fight than the French.

 

[Ian Bairds Fist]

I was in the middle of the home end (white part of the flag) and I would say most tried a good part of it. Hard to read the screens whilst holding the piece of paper in front of your face though. Would have been good to have had the words on the bits of paper, but I guess they had very little time to organise that.

Yep, was in the white part too - how far did your paper aeroplane get? Mine was row 15 (from row 44).. personal best.