The making of a myth.

Seventy years ago a potent myth was created by general De Gaulle-he fled to London after the fall of France to the Nazi regime-to announce to the world via the BBC World Service that France would fight on "the flame of the French resistance must not be extinguished". The truth however was very different. As we now know there was much collaboration with the enemy in particular by the Vichy government. People like Jean-Paul Sartre have arrogated to themselves a role in the fight against the German's that they did not have. His statement "a lost battle is a battle one thinks one has lost". Is a true analysis of his role, unlike Albert Camus on the other hand as the saying goes-had a good war. He was part of the resistance! Its very easy to be judgemental of those who did collaborate but what would I have done in similar circumstances? Some members of the Free French Forces used to hang out in the West End and drink in the French House pub in Soho-there are today many photos on the walls of these brave people. Its only more recently that a better understanding of what went on in France is being discovered. Of course its never easy to excavate the history of war. We all want to on the winning side-as has been said-the victors write the history or as Churchill commented-he wanted to write his version of history before the historians got there first. All nations create and need there myths in order to keep themselves warm in the cold dark nights of war. Olivier did it grandiloquently in his role of the king in Henry V. What is import and necessary to remember is the fact that all history is partial and never objective.