A little piece of the US in France? The ‘myth’ of Normandy’s American Cemetery • FRANCE 24

44 comments

1. The bird song is something that surprised me, every cemetery has a cacophony of bird song

2. Vive la France!

3. I went here back in the 1980's, just out of college. I was struck by how many gravestones revealed that the person buried below died at only 19 or 20 years old. Just boys.

4. I have been there. It is kept in beautiful condition. Thank you 🇫🇷

5. The French probably wish the cemetery was a cow pasture generating tax revenue.

6. Merci

7. The Normandy American Cemetery is one of 14 permanent American World War II military cemeteries on foreign soil. The government of France granted use of this land, in perpetuity, as a permanent burial ground without charge or taxation. In 1966 when France got the atomic bomb, she withdrew from NATO. She ordered ALL foreign troops to leave France. General Eisenhower, head of USEUR, the Commander of NATO was told to leave France. He asked DeGuelle if that meant the ones who were buried here too. DeGuelle was difficult to deal with. But as a Vterean I have only the highest regard for the men and women who maintain this sacred ground.

8. Gift? That's some typical French BS. Zero respect.

9. I cannot imagine a world without all the military cemeteries that provide the final resting place for all those who perished in wars.

10. Beautiful piece of earth, the French certainly have an eye for beauty! Thank you France.

11. It’s a thank you for coming over and saving them

12. Trump called the killed soldiers “saps”. So sad

13. The 80th anniversary of D-Day, the last time Soldiers from WW2 may be able to attend, and this what you come up with? Well the people of France and the United States don't care about that "myth". Americans didn't come take to away any French soil, especially cemeteries, we came to liberate France and help them win back their country. Thank you to the French People for honoring our American Soldiers.

14. Thank you America Battle Monuments Commission for maintaining the grounds. Paid for by US Taxpayers.

15. If someday they do decide to invite the grandsons of the veterans i would definitely go. Honored to represent my grandfather, Tank Commander of the Third Armored Division and D-Day combatant at Omaha Beach. "I saw much here in ten minutes of Hell" the only thing he ever wrote about that battle

16. I was detailed to march in the 30th Anniversary of the Liberation of Avranche. (1/32 Armor, 3AD) We sent a platoon to march in the parade. While there, we visited the beach and cemetery.

    One of my most treasured memories of my 14 years, 7 months and 9 days in the Army was being there, in Avranche, and having a Frenchman who lived through the war, bring his grandchild over to met "real American soldiers." The people in Normandy (at least in 1974) hadn't forgot….

17. Did anyone think it is USA property?

18. As a retired U.S Army Soldier thank you France for honoring them

19. If I had died there i would want them to send my body home. why be buried on foreign soil?

20. These men did not die for nothing 🇺🇸

21. Thank you doe the video. What wasn't mentioned was that the American Battle Monuments Commission has been constructing interpretation centers at each of the cemeteries they are responsible for in an effort to attract visitors. The interpretation centers are essentially small museums often featuring stories of individuals who are buried in the cemeteries.

22. I have visited there. It was a part of an excellent Normandy Battlefield tour.

23. I visited the cemetery several years ago – awe inspiring

24. We went to visit the cemetery in 2015 I believe. The US Goverment had shut down that week and we were not allowed to enter! We were not warned about it until our bus arrived. Talk about 30 pissed off people.! One group was ready to scale the wall before the guide talked them down. We managed to visit the British, Canadian and German cemeteries. If I had a relative buried in the American cemetery I would have considered telling the US Government to go do things to themselves and gone over the fence

25. Sadly they didn't give their lives for to 'save American freedom'. They gave their lives to destroy the most powerful national impediment to the hegemony of communism in Eurasia. This sad truth is now perfectly clear for everyone to see. Nationalism had to be destroyed and demonised. Hence, the need to continue demonising Germany's effort to save itself from communism, even today. The Austrian painter was never a threat to American freedom. But then what are we to expect when people get their history from Hollywood. 😞

26. Same with Pointe du Hoc. Actually there are many graves of soldiers who died elsewhere including Quentin Roosevelt who was shot down in WW1

27. Thank you for this reporting. I appreciate the effort and dedication of all those involved in maintaining and protecting this cemetery. My grandfather survived the Second World War and for that I am glad. Many did not and deserve to be remembered.

28. Nobody ever said it was American soil, but Americans are buried there

29. Many thanks to the French people for the beautiful caretaking of our sons, brothers, and fathers.

30. May be French soil but is controlled by the US government. in Oct 2013 we were there during an American Government "shutdown" it was closed and we were not allowed in………..a bunker at Pointe du Hoc and the Omaha beach museum were also closed as was the American Cemetery in Luxenberg where Gen Geo Patton is buried………… we were very disappointed as we had planned to visit the grave of a soldier in Normandy who lived in our small town. A letter of complaint to US congressman William Keating (D, Ma, also from same town) resulted in a political slanted form letter blaming the Republicans for the shutdown

31. I visited last year my dad landed on D day he was one of the lucky ones he came home

32. Let us never forget, that Trump called US soldiers buried in France "suckers."

33. I was there in autumn 2023, a very worthy memorial and well worth the visit. As a Swede, I have no connection to the soldiers who fell or even to WWII but I wanted to visit and honour those who gave their lives in the fight against totalitarianism. Maybe there will one day be something like it in the Ukraine…?

34. My father in law Larry Kelly landed on Utah Beach that day. His reflections on that were beyond anything I could imagine. He visited this cemetery 40 years after his landing on Normandy. The emotions that ran thru his heart and soul were overwhelming. Rest in peace Dad.

35. I am not sure where this alleged "myth" originated. I'm an American, born in 1960. My late grandfather served in the SW Pacific theater. In all of my years, I've NEVER heard anyone (American or otherwise) claim this cemetary to be "American soil". That's a preposterous idea and would be slap in the face of a people who suffered greatly themselves during the years of occupation.
    I've always been well aware of the continuing kindness, compassion, dedication and generosity of both the French government and her people with regard to caring for the thousands of American/Allied fallen. Their ongoing respect and care speaks very well of the French as a people.

36. A very interesting video that leaves a bunch of questions for me. My cousin ,29th Division 116th Infantry Company K, was in the first wave of soldiers landing on Omaha beach on D-Day. He later was KIA in the battle for the town of Saint-Lo. That makes me wonder why he lies at rest in a cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio and not in France. The family was not financially well off to have his remains sent home so if someone has even a generic explanation I'd like to hear it. Sadly, as one of his last family members alive his sacrifice will cease to be remembered once were gone. I think it may have been appropriate to have him interned in this cemetery where people will always come to pay their respects to those that gave the ultimate sacrifice. Gods' peace Bobby.

37. All gave some
    Some gave all

38. Went there in 2018…no words to describe it….the trees are shaved to specifically represent young men and women's lives being ended at such young ages. A clarification: It really is the Allied cemetary there. I believe there are French, Polish, Canadien and English butied there as well.

39. I would like to address a problem. The French have great respect for our war dead in their care. We have not responded in kind. Without France we would not be a nation. They came to our aid during the revolution. If you go to Yorktown you will find the grave site of 50 Frenchman who gave their lives for our country. Looking at how they are remembered is deplorable. We should have a monument equal to or better then what France has provided for our dead. It is a shame.

40. Thank you For the Diligence to respect our Dead. They are not suckers or losers. They are the glorious!

41. Very beautiful and moving.

42. My father is buried in the American cemetery in St James France –Killed Brest Sept 12 ,1944 …A very beautiful place ..

43. Merci, France, for using this land for the remains and memories of those Americans who gave the u)timate sacrifice. I visited Normandy 10 years ago in May, and left this cemetery with tears in my eyes. My parents were teenagers in Belgium during WWII, and I am forever grateful to our American Military for what they did at this time. Because of you, my sister and I are alive.
    In Memory of Eugene Schmid, Louis Schmid, Carl Scmid, and Floyd Schmid, my uncles by marriage.

44. We have a beautiful very large American Military Cemetary in Luxembourg where General Patton is buried .Generals Eisenhower ,Bradley had their Headquarters in Luxembourg