Friday, September 6, 2013

World War II and the Bikini

While in France this summer researching and writing on the Huguenots, we spent a week in Caen (also an important Huguenot site) exploring WW II history and D-Day, Giles' particular passion. He references everything in the context of WW II. Our first visit to the beach at La Ciatot, warm Mediterranean seaside environment on all sides, he looked out on all the sunbathers and said, "Did you know that the French invented the bikini? After WW II there was a really big fabric shortage so they came up with that." In fact, he was partially correct, though it was the French testing nuclear weapons on the Bikini Islands after WW II that led to the invention.
The following are clips of Giles (10) explaining what happened in WW II at various beaches, bunkers, and museums in Normandy. He really loves this history, and has spent the months before our travels reading everything he could get his hands on about D-Day and WW II.

Giles explaining what happened on D-Day at Omaha Beach:


Giles explaining what happened on D-Day at Pegasus Bridge:

Giles explaining what happened on D-Day at the German cemetery near Pont du Hoc:
 

Giles explaining what happened on D-Day at Gold Beach:


Giles explaining what happened on D-Day at the Mulberry Harbors:
 

Giles explaining what happened on D-Day with tanks:


Giles explaining what happened on D-Day... (a few more coming)

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