Sunday, August 19, 2012

US Marines taught how to shoot by French Chasseurs

Much of my time spent on The Beret Project is going through endless files of photographs and, over the years, I continue to be amazed how many Americans hold anti-French sentiments. Alas, I have posted on that before. 
Pictures of Obama, photo-shopped with a  beret and cigarette hanging from his lips, meant to symbolize cowardliness and "un-Americaness"; pictures of French soldiers with "funny" comments, etc. 
Here in New Zealand we shrug our shoulders; "they're Americans, after all" (and we have our own sentiments about the French based on very different matters). 
But for all those Americans who curse the French (military), their berets, their perceived lack of bravery, I thought the above picture would be nice to have a look at: French Chasseurs Alpins with their distinctive berets were used as instructors for the first American units landing in France. Here they watch a demonstration of M1911 pistol marksmanship by a marine.  (2nd Div. 1917).

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