May 26th
Two’s company, three’s a crowd! Eighty years ago, the British and Americans, along with their allies, built the largest invasion fleet in history and struck with full force on June 6th in Normandy. Here, we now witness the French enjoying their holidays. The Atlantic Wall was breached, and the final downfall of Hitler’s Third Reich began. (Though we are not the only ones here speaking languages other than French.)
Looking at these ditches lining the fields with bushes, one cannot help but think of the massive losses (120,000 men) that the Allies suffered in just a couple of days. This terrain and infrastructure were ideal for the defenders and exceedingly troublesome for the attackers. The beach where the landings occurred was filled with strong fortifications armed with the most modern weaponry of the time. A horrific place to ascend a defenseless beach, hoping not to get hit by a bullet – though many did.
Along with bodies, all sorts of equipment sank off the shore. Heroic stories emerged, were written down, and later turned into films. I think I went to see the movie “The Longest Day” with my dad back in the ’60s. It might have been the first (and possibly only) film I watched with him. A war veteran had to take his kids to see it, even though he rarely talked about his own wartime experiences. He focused more on peacetime activities…
The history of this region makes one reflect once again on the absurdity of the present! Today, at this moment, the Russians are waging war again. This time against Ukraine. The former Soviet Republic is experiencing the burden of history in its most gruesome form. The present underscores the fact that humanity is indeed foolish and perhaps does not deserve to remain a permanent phenomenon in Earth’s history. We humans can build machines that allow us to fly around space, we can put a phone in everyone’s pocket that allows video calls anywhere. We can repair nearly all injuries that don’t immediately kill a person. We have extended life expectancy by decades. We have built a massive production system, enabling the wealthiest to acquire the most imaginative gadgets to pass the time. Some organize tourist flights to space while others gamble away millions in casinos. And at the same time, this so-called success story is so broken that it cannot guarantee clean drinking water and food for its kind in the poorest countries, nor can it build a governance model where conflicts are resolved at negotiation tables. Even ants aren’t stupid enough to destroy their own species! Shame on the war mongers in Russia and the Middle East. Shame on Kirill and other Orthodox leaders who bless the killing of innocent children and other civilians. Shame on the leaders of Hamas and other terrorist organizations who do not respect human life – or likely any life. Shame on the leaders of Israel who, blinded by your expansionist desires, drive the Palestinians toward genocide. Shame on the representatives of the world’s economic elite who steer all these events towards a direction where human life and the balance of nature seem to mean nothing as you pursue ever greater wealth in your vaults.
Tomorrow, we move from France to Britain. We will leave this interesting and in many ways contradictory country behind. It feels odd to move out of the EU, only to return when we enter Ireland, and then leave the EU again to head home. Britain is an interesting country, especially due to its history. But so is France. The local way of life and customs are also not the easiest for us Finns to understand and learn. I haven’t learned the language. I’ve gained some additional knowledge of their history, observed their customs, and tried to find the essence of Frenchness. I don’t think I found it on this trip. Who knows, maybe I will return. At least I don’t have to come back for the French cuisine!