Memorial Day Memories

I forgot to say when I talked with Melissa, she did ask me about my mentioning the French Maginot Line and the Polish Calvary charge. So, I explained them both to her.

The French Maginot Line was built after the First World War. France built a series of pill boxes or bunkers all along the border between France and Germany (the machine guns and cannon are gone, but they are still there and you can visit them, BTW) to keep the Germans out once and for all.

But, when World War II started, the German Panzer divisions invaded Belgium, took a left and went into France behind the Maginot Line. Um, Duh?

As for the Polish Calvary charge, as far as I know it was the last cavalry charge in history. A company of Polish cavalry drew their sabers and charged the invading Germans. Unfortunately, as I said, the Polish were mounted on horses, while the Germans were inside Tiger tanks. It took about 5 minutes for the machine guns in the first two or three tanks to shred both the Polish horses and men.

Now, you know me and expect me to [add Polish joke here] but I won’t. That was a heroic, fantastic and, ultimately incredibly stupid idea. But, they tried, dammit!