Jazz was the best thing the Allies brought

[brownie]

The French consider jazz was the best thing that the US brought to their country when they landed in Normandy.

From AFP:

JAZZ WAS BEST THING THE ALLIES BROUGHT WITH THEM ON D-DAY: FRENCH POLL

PARIS, June 6 (AFP) - French people believe jazz was the best thing the US soldiers of World War II brought to their country when they landed on the Normandy beaches exactly 60 years ago, according to an opinion poll published in the Sunday edition of daily newspaper Le Parisien.

    Forty four percent of those questioned said jazz was the most important import, as against 19 percent each for chewing gum and Coca Cola, and nine percent for cigarettes made from Virginia tobacco.

    Asked which were the most important events of the 20th century, 57 percent pointed to the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944.

    This was considered more important than the fall of the Berlin Wall, chosen by 49 percent, the end of apartheid in 1994, chosen by 20 percent, the 1973 oil crisis, chosen by 18 percent, and the first man on the moon, chosen by 13 percent.

    When asked what D-Day evoked for them, 72 percent said it was "the start of the liberation of France" and 28 percent said it was "one of the greatest battles in history".

    Another 27 percent said it made them think of "the Normandy beaches", 15 percent thought of the film "The Longest Day" and 14 percent remembered a parachutist who got caught on the tower of a church in Sainte-Mere-Eglise.

    The pollsters questioned 1,000 people over 18 on May 25 and 26.

[take5]

Funny, I would have thought the best thing American troops brought them on D-Day was the end of the Nazi occupation.

But, you know, jazz and gum are good, too.

[John L]

Who cares about Nazis, Django, or Stephane when you've got real American GIs?.

Edited June 7, 2004 by John L

[GregK]

I don't know, did France have Coca-Cola yet? Or pin-ups?

[brownie]

I don't know, did France have Coca-Cola yet? Or pin-ups?

Pre-WWII distribution of Coca-Cola was very sparse. The Coca-Cola invasion of France started right after the end of the war. The GIs have long gone but Coca-Cola is still all over the place!

Pinups in France? No. Girls were (and still are) everywhere around here