travel books: V. The women in the houses in which you are living will be under your sole protection. Treat them as you would like your own wives and daughters to be treated in your absence. You will see them in the French country districts engaged in very heavy work and doing their best to replace their men. As far as your military duties allow you, help them. VI. Strive to become good soldiers. Our enemy is trying by this long respite and these false alarms to lull us to sleep and tire us out. Make use of this period of waiting and turn the false alarms into opportunities for manoeuvres. Familiarize yourself more thoroughly with your weapons. Endeavour to make your battalion, your battery or your squadron a crack unit. What time and tradition have done for famous regiments you now have the opportunity and leisure to do for yours. Attach great importance to the details of your clothing and your discipline. The value of an army depends on its habits. VII. France is entrusting to your guardianship a sector of her frontier, which is now your own. It is a great honour. Never yield an inch of French soil. VIII. Take care never to spread or listen to rumours. The object of enemy propaganda is to sow unrest and panic. Only repeat what you are certain of. Whoever says: `I haven't seen it myself, but I've heard about it,' may become, without realizing it, an agent of the enemy. Be an example of coolness. Yours is supposed to be a phlegmatic race. It is a fine reputation. Deserve it. IX. Study the French language while you are in France. Help your hosts to learn English. The task of our two countries is not only to win the war but to win the peace afterward. This they will only be able to do if they remain united. They will only remain united if they understand each other. X. The alliance of France and England has been a political and military necessity. It must become a human reality. These two countries which need each other must hold each other in unreserved esteem. It is within your power to make ten, twenty, a hundred Frenchmen regard England as an ally worthy of trust and affection. To-day I cannot read that text without anguish of heart ... Meanwhile General Voruz, Commandant of the French Mission of Liaison, had charged me with an analogous and complementary task, that of giving books

Books > Old Books > Call No Man Happy (1943)

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SITZKRIEG

V. The women in the houses in which you are living will be under your sole protection. Treat them as you would like your own wives and daughters to be treated in your absence. You will see them in the French country districts engaged in very heavy work and doing their best to replace their men. As far as your military duties allow you, help them.
VI. Strive to become good soldiers. Our enemy is trying by this long respite and these false alarms to lull us to sleep and tire us out. Make use of this period of waiting and turn the false alarms into opportunities for manoeuvres. Familiarize yourself more thoroughly with your weapons. Endeavour to make your battalion, your battery or your squadron a crack unit. What time and tradition have done for famous regiments you now have the opportunity and leisure to do for yours. Attach great importance to the details of your clothing and your discipline. The value of an army depends on its habits.
VII. France is entrusting to your guardianship a sector of her frontier, which is now your own. It is a great honour. Never yield an inch of French soil.
VIII. Take care never to spread or listen to rumours. The object of enemy propaganda is to sow unrest and panic. Only repeat what you are certain of. Whoever says: `I haven't seen it myself, but I've heard about it,' may become, without realizing it, an agent of the enemy. Be an example of coolness. Yours is supposed to be a phlegmatic race. It is a fine reputation. Deserve it.
IX. Study the French language while you are in France. Help your hosts to learn English. The task of our two countries is not only to win the war but to win the peace afterward. This they will only be able to do if they remain united. They will only remain united if they understand each other.
X. The alliance of France and England has been a political and military necessity. It must become a human reality. These two countries which need each other must hold each other in unreserved esteem. It is within your power to make ten, twenty, a hundred Frenchmen regard England as an ally worthy of trust and affection.

To-day I cannot read that text without anguish of heart ... Meanwhile General Voruz, Commandant of the French Mission of Liaison, had charged me with an analogous and complementary task, that of giving