European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 10, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Perceptions of de Gaulle americans tend to paint an ugly picture of former French president Charles de Gaulle who gave nato the heave to in 1966. University of Maryland history professor Bernard Sinsheimer who taught in France at the time said the popular perception of de Gaulle As anti american is unfair. Quot from the French Point of View de Gaulle was enough of a nationalist that he did no to want troops on French soil that were not under French command Quot Sinsheimer said. Quot plus the fact that by 1966 he was disagreeing with a number of american Points of View specifically in Vietnam. He Felt we might get involved in a War and russians might bomb american air bases in Sinsheimer who still lives in France said the French Leader at times played both the american card and the russian card. Quot he did t want the two superpowers to dominate the world or certainly dominate Europe Quot he explained. Quot but on crucial issues such As the cuban missile crisis of october 1962 he was on the american Side and on the Berlin Issue he was one of the toughest. On the u-2 crisis in May 1960 when they met in Paris de Gaulle was the strongest supporter of Eisenhower stronger than Harold Macmillan the British prime but Sinsheimer said de Gaulle did things America did t like. Quot he recognized communist China which we did too later on. He condemned Israel in the 1967 War which antagonized a number of people especially jewish elements and he made that famous speech in Cambodia saying we were wrong in the Vietnam War Sinsheimer said. Quot he Felt that in an atomic world you could t play in the big leagues unless you had atomic weapons. Sinsheimer said most americans resented de Gaulle ordering them out of France. Quot we Felt american lives had been lost in the first and especially the second world War and this was an ungrateful thing. Of course we must make the Point that the French did no to withdraw from the Alliance. The Alliance which was signed in 1949 goes on. The French simply got out of the integrated part of the nato there were inconveniences Sinsheimer said pointing out that american planes were required to get permission when they flew Over France. Quot it was t quite As big an affair As portrayed at the time Quot he said. A Randy Pruit jobless French nato Les hands with Gen. Charles Villeret French lom5naro countries were lowered for the in americans took everything with them when they All they could carry. Housing was purchased by French after some haggling. We built Beautiful housing All around Orleans. They led us ridiculous amounts of Money a Fuchs said. Jas eur documents Bear out the disparity Rathe amount offered by the French for various lilies and the agreed Price. In All French offers fed Only $1,199,080, but the negotiated Price finally s to $4,003,285. A lie United states was allowed continued use of the oleum pipeline which ran from the Atlantic port of fees to Metz near the German Border. Its operation 1 handled by trap1l, a French government Kidi Zed corporation. Fuchs said american fic members took the move in stride. Some had just arrived so they were very shaky Utha ving to move again but on the whole it the a was handled beautifully. The military did a endows Job of picking everything up packing it off getting out. I m still impressed 23 years later with efficiency of the military in getting out of Richs fluent in French was among a Small nucleus is. Personnel who were transferred to the . Fassy in Paris after the military departed. The group of posed the military liquidation office. We tidied up All the Loose ends Quot she explained Sidn t Wear our uniforms during that. They gave us idiomatic passport so that As far As France was pmed All the military was is who now lives in the Washington d.c., area r a Aas attended Many ceremonies in her military j wit the one on april 30,1967, the last Day for Theisan military in France still Sticks in her mind. 6 and a big ceremony in the Cavern which was quarters. All the French people arrived and isl?kl0wering our ,a9 some of them were in lot k7 dramatic part was that the train was l i ing so that was out a the country by a when we were out. It was Nathan air Force no carries the Flag Al ceremonies in1967 writing the end of nato military presence m France. To Andre Bossu the decision to oust . Forces from France had More than political consequences. It Cost him his Job. And his wife s. The two Verdun residents were among 18,000 French civilians who lost their jobs when the american military left France in 1967. Quot it was a real Shock the . Leaving Quot said Bossu who worked 14 years for the . Army. Quot the French expected to lose their jobs. We thought we were prepared for that situation but when we were faced with it Many reactions Verdun a City of about 35,000, was an important american Supply base. Bossu worked in the civilian personnel office in charge of training. His wife was a Secretary. Quot we realized we would have to leave the area if we lost our jobs Quot he said explaining that about 2,000 French workers were employed by the . Military at Verdun. But Bossu 33 at the time did no to give up easily. Bossu said he helped create a committee so terminated workers could have a dialogue with the French government. He also took to the streets of Verdun Nancy and Paris to protest the Lack of work. A we obtained some promises but nothing More Quot said. He and two friends finally put their Hopes on an american Bird a the Turkey. The Turkey was new to France Bossu said. He also found that germans were eating More Turkey. The Trio set up a Turkey Breeding farm at a former ammunition Camp about 30 Miles from Verdun. The business employed about 25 people. I quit for personal reasons but its still in operation Bossu said. Quot it was not a bad idea. The father of two children Quot almost three Quot then found a personnel Job with Motorola in Toulouse where he stayed two years. He worked in various personnel positions before taking a position 17 years ago As chief of personnel at a Dijon optical company. Bossu said he is grateful to the americans. A we had Good relations. We had the Opportunity to get some training to get some approach about work in a modern Way. At that time 1962you should not forget it was not far from the end of world War ii. The presence of . Forces allowed the town to expand. Verdun Drew Many advantages of this presence he said. Bossu said he goes Back to Verdun from time to time to visit Verdun is half alive and half asleep Quot he said. 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