Vocal Protests Set Aside, Le Pen's Outrageous Comments on WWII Can Hardly Be Qualified as Totally Removed from the French Mainstream

Notwithstanding the (justified) outcry that has met Jean-Marie Le Pen's claim that life in France under the Nazi occupiers wasn't that bad (the National Front leader charges he is the victim of persecution), how surprized should the French be when they have been regularly lionizing all things European while disparaging everything American?

And non, it is not just the present administration in Washington; during the 60th anniversary commemorations of D-Day last summer, did the French not made an all-out effort to downplay the American contribution to the war effort as well as cast doubt on the Americans' intentions while heaping praise on the (present) alliance with Germany and the depth of the friendship with the Germans, as well as the depth of the camaraderie with the allies — that is, the camaraderie with the "peace camp" allies of 2003?

As for the 1944 Battle of the Bulge which was (if my calculations are correct) the bloodiest battle for the Americans on the European front during World War II, its (recent) 60th anniversary has been virtually ignored in France, in total contrast to the outpouring of emotion and articles during the (August) commmorations of the liberation of Paris…