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W. Earl Hall World War II stories, 1944

Letter #20

slug-Big Welcome-4
By W. EARL HALL
Globe-Gazette Managing Editor
Letter No. 20
Paris, France--(By U.S. Army Bomber Transit)--It's a "gay Paree" once more!  
The manifestations of this gayety were many and spectacular as, bumping along in an army reconnaissance car, I entered the great French capital city late this Sunday afternoon, in company with 2 American soldiers, 2 war correspondents--one a Brazilian--and a fellow American editor, Fred Christopherson of Sioux Falls, S. Dak.
It is just 8 days since U.S. soldiers entered the town and the novelty of Americans hasn't yet worn off.  We--particularly the soldiers in our party--were greeted like conquering heroes.
Parisians lined the streets by the thousands.  All along the way they waved and threw kisses in our direction  When we stopped for directions, as we did several times, crowds gathered around us.  All were insistent on touching the hand of an American.
After 4 long years under the German heel, painfully restrained if not actually abused, the Parisians--a freedom-loving people--have a full appreciation of their liberators.  And they're crediting Americans with the achievement.
During the evening I mingled with the crowds at the Grand Hotel, the Café de la Paix, on the Champs Elysees and in the historic Place de la Concorde.  It was their first Sunday evening of real freedom since June, 1940.  They had thrown all cares to the winds.
This jubilation over a reclaimed liberty was my first and most pronounced impression of Paris.  The contrast between Paris and London is the matter of material damage was my second.
Whereas the English capital presents deep scars, from blitz bombs and fly bombs, Paris seemingly has escaped with no more than surface wounds.  Here and there a building has been visibly damaged by a heavy shell.  Many windows have been pierced by machine or tommy gun fire.
But the city as a whole looks almost exactly as I remembered it from my visit here 17 years ago.  The buildings are standing.  The avenues are broad and beautiful.  The parks, especially the Tuilleries, present a scene of beauty even if the grass and shrubbery are not as neatly cropped as before the Nazis took over.
In Cherbourg I gained the impression--and reported it--that France is without beautiful women.  I was dead wrong about that.  I hadn't seen Paris.  Here feminine pulchritude abounds.
Mostly, however, the beauty is based on that indefinable something in the Paris women folks which enables them to look chic in anything they wear.  There's a style about them even when they clomp along in wooden-soled shoes, as most of them do.
In Cherbourg there was a tendency to look upon the Germans as a "business opportunity."  They had bought, at high prices, the foodstuffs produced on that rich peninsula.
The Americans came in with bombs and heavy guns and destroyed homes.  It was part of the liberation program.  But to a simple peasant mind, that aspect of what happened was a little far-fetched.  If the attitude toward Americans wasn't actually resentful, it was at the very least lukewarm.
Here, in Paris, and in Rennes, LeManes, Chartres and other towns we passed through in coming here, the attitude is vastly different.  At the Moment, and there's no question about this, Americans are ace-high with the people of interior France.
Germans like regimentation; the French hate it.  They've been regimented for 4 long years.  Americans are credited with releasing them from their bondage.  That's why, for the moment at least, Americans are so popular.

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slug-Big Welcome-4 By W. EARL HALL Globe-Gazette Managing Editor Letter No. 20 Paris, France--(By U.S. Army Bomber Transit)--It's a "gay Paree" once more! The manifestations of this gayety were many and spectacular as, bumping along in an army reconnaissance car, I entered the great French capital city late this Sunday afternoon, in company with 2 American soldiers, 2 war correspondents--one a Brazilian--and a fellow American editor, Fred Christopherson of Sioux Falls, S. Dak. It is just 8 days since U.S. soldiers entered the town and the novelty of Americans hasn't yet worn off. We--particularly the soldiers in our party--were greeted like conquering heroes. Parisians lined the streets by the thousands. All along the way they waved and threw kisses in our direction When we stopped for directions, as we did several times, crowds gathered around us. All were insistent on touching the hand of an American. After 4 long years under the German heel, painfully restrained if not actually abused, the Parisians--a freedom-loving people--have a full appreciation of their liberators. And they're crediting Americans with the achievement. During the evening I mingled with the crowds at the Grand Hotel, the Café de la Paix, on the Champs Elysees and in the historic Place de la Concorde. It was their first Sunday evening of real freedom since June, 1940. They had thrown all cares to the winds. This jubilation over a reclaimed liberty was my first and most pronounced impression of Paris. The contrast between Paris and London is the matter of material damage was my second. Whereas the English capital presents deep scars, from blitz bombs and fly bombs, Paris seemingly has escaped with no more than surface wounds. Here and there a building has been visibly damaged by a heavy shell. Many windows have been pierced by machine or tommy gun fire. But the city as a whole looks almost exactly as I remembered it from my visit here 17 years ago. The buildings are standing. The avenues are broad and beautiful. The parks, especially the Tuilleries, present a scene of beauty even if the grass and shrubbery are not as neatly cropped as before the Nazis took over. In Cherbourg I gained the impression--and reported it--that France is without beautiful women. I was dead wrong about that. I hadn't seen Paris. Here feminine pulchritude abounds. Mostly, however, the beauty is based on that indefinable something in the Paris women folks which enables them to look chic in anything they wear. There's a style about them even when they clomp along in wooden-soled shoes, as most of them do. In Cherbourg there was a tendency to look upon the Germans as a "business opportunity." They had bought, at high prices, the foodstuffs produced on that rich peninsula. The Americans came in with bombs and heavy guns and destroyed homes. It was part of the liberation program. But to a simple peasant mind, that aspect of what happened was a little far-fetched. If the attitude toward Americans wasn't actually resentful, it was at the very least lukewarm. Here, in Paris, and in Rennes, LeManes, Chartres and other towns we passed through in coming here, the attitude is vastly different. At the Moment, and there's no question about this, Americans are ace-high with the people of interior France. Germans like regimentation; the French hate it. They've been regimented for 4 long years. Americans are credited with releasing them from their bondage. That's why, for the moment at least, Americans are so popular.