Today is Armistice Day, the date that marks the end of World War I in 1918. It's an official holiday in France, so everyone has the day off.
We spent a little time at the commemoration at the Arc de Triomphe, where the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is. We were there for La Marseillaise and part of Sarkozy's speach but could only hear the last part: Vive la République! Vive la France!
My friend Richard commented that he liked the way the tanks were pointed at Sarkozy, as if saying, "Keep the speech brief, Mon President."
The last picture shows a contingent of French soldiers marching off in their colorful blue coats and red pants, the uniform that was used up to the beginning of World War I. In The Guns of August, Barbara Tuchman describes how before the war, Messimy, the War Minister, had tried to change the French uniform. Other countries were adopting less colorful and conspicuous uniforms, the British khaki and the Germans field grey. A former War Minister, when confronted with this at parliament, said, "Eliminate the red trousers? Never! Le pantalon rouge c'est la France!" So French soldiers marched off to battle wearing bright red pants, with terrible consequences. Eventually the need for less visible uniforms brought about the new pale uniform.
