Preservation of Culture Quotes
Explaining the reason for the Paris insurrection against the occupying Germans in World War II in contrast to the general French collaboration and capitulation. The French army, which was larger than the German, put up minor resistance and capitulated quickly when the Germans invaded. A number of French leaders formed a Nazi puppet government in Vichy. Many Frenchmen collaborated with the German Nazis. One of the main reasons for the formation of the French Resistance movement was for the French to have any honor after the war was over. They wanted the world to know that there were Frenchmen who valued freedom and justice and were not cowards--there were French who would risk their lives for freedom and justice. The French Resistance was extremely effective but very small, and to many Frenchman's embarrassment, the Communists were much more active in the Resistance than the conservatives. When the allies were closing in on Paris, and the German's were pulling out, the Parisians could just have waited until the Allied troops forced the Germans out. However, a small group of Parisians organized a major insurrection where Germans were attacked and sniped out while they were pulling out. When the Allies arrived, the Parisians had not been passive victims who had been freed by foreign troops, but had participated in their own fight for freedom and thus retained some honor and dignity. The insurrection was not without cost as many French men and women were killed in the insurrection, and many thought that the gesture of honor was an unnecessary risk and sacrifice. But the war ended in France with the French active in expelling the enemy with great bravery, something that had not generally happened at the beginning or in the midst of the war.
Nguyê~n Phu' C A' nh. Cambodia was also considered a backward and barbarian country. Essentially, the Emperor’s plan was for Vietnam and Thailand, the two dominant powers in the area, to share hegemony over Cambodia. That is exactly what happened, and to this day, both countries exercise a great deal of control and influence over Cambodia. For example, even in 2000 Cambodian textbooks and curricula came from Vietnam.
While some Europeans chastised African leaders for selling slaves, others were offering to buy more. The supply / demand situation resembled the issue in the late 20th century and the War on Drugs. American politicians urged foreign leaders to prohibit growing of drug crops, while other Americans paid huge premiums for the use of the crops.
