There was a tremendous celebration in all of western Europe in June 1994 marking the 50th anniversary of the Allied landings in France and the beginning of the end of the German occupation.

We were there one month later. The crowds had left, but the flags were still there, and so too was the French gratitude for the American and other Allied forces who liberated France that eventful year. In two separate instances, the lady behind the counter came around and gave us each a big hug when she realized we were from the US.

While the ... (more)