Page on history of color photography, and the early French invention of autochrome.
http://histclo.hispeed.com/photo/photo/photo-colph.html
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http://histclo.hispeed.com/photo/photo/photo-colph.html
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Color Pictures of when the French used to fight
- Thread starter Nando Aqui
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GTKrockeTT
Member
whoa...nice find!
XD40Assassin
Member
So this technique can be done to any black and white photo?
-this is not directed at a specific poster, just a psa if you will.
Like other posters said, the French soldiers quit fighting due to their horrible generals, not a lack of bravery. The British failed at Gallipoli, does that make them a nation of cowards? Look into history a bit further before making remarks that show a lack of understanding.
Like other posters said, the French soldiers quit fighting due to their horrible generals, not a lack of bravery. The British failed at Gallipoli, does that make them a nation of cowards? Look into history a bit further before making remarks that show a lack of understanding.
peacefuljeffrey
member
Some of the designers of history's military helmets would need to be shot if they weren't dead already! MAN! Who ever thought that a military helmet should be decorative at the expense of being functional?! 
-Jeffrey
-Jeffrey
QuarterBoreGunner
Member
That would be the Romans I think.
So any clues as to the identities of the black french soldiers in the first photo? I'm very curious; pressganged from the Ivory Coast? I have no clue.
Reality check
"The British failed at Gallipoli, does that make them a nation of cowards?"
1. The British were NOT alone - and the SERIOUS losses were largely the ANZAC troops, which landed on the wrong beach, under heavy fire. The British landing was comparatively unopposed.
2. Unlike the French, the British KEPT fighting - in BOTH World Wars, Korea and as recently as the Falklands and Desert Storm.
Tell us again about the significant French contributions..........
"The British failed at Gallipoli, does that make them a nation of cowards?"
1. The British were NOT alone - and the SERIOUS losses were largely the ANZAC troops, which landed on the wrong beach, under heavy fire. The British landing was comparatively unopposed.
2. Unlike the French, the British KEPT fighting - in BOTH World Wars, Korea and as recently as the Falklands and Desert Storm.
Tell us again about the significant French contributions..........
davec
Member
Its real easy to stand alone when you have 20 miles of water between you and the bad guys.
The Brittish responded to their orders despite poor leadership, that makes them honorable and brave. The French refused to fight. Thats a big difference in my book. It is especially significant when you consider that the troops who died at Gallipoli werent fighting for their own lands but for others. The French were on their own soil. It's one thing to refuse to fight someone elses war in someone elses country. Its a whole different thing when you won't take up arms to defend your own homeland despite poor leadership and conditions, ESPECIALLY when taken in light of how many people of other nations were dying for the French.
davec
Member
The French refused to fight because their idiotic commanders were slaughtering them by the thousands every day.
The common French solider realized a lot faster then their officers that running headlong into machine guns with only your élan to protect you was suicide. Not only was it suicide it wasen't doing a DAMN thing to end the war. It was a meaningless slaughter. The French soldier, very bravly, decided they werent going to play the part of the cattle being lead to the German slaughterhouse by their inept commanders anymore.
When you consider (justifiably) that your own leadership is more hazardous to your health then the supposed enemy, you'd find some means to not follow their orders that would lead to your sudden, and inescapable death with no further benefit to the actual effort of winning the war.
The German High Seas Fleet did the same thing in 1918, under similar circumstance.
The common French solider realized a lot faster then their officers that running headlong into machine guns with only your élan to protect you was suicide. Not only was it suicide it wasen't doing a DAMN thing to end the war. It was a meaningless slaughter. The French soldier, very bravly, decided they werent going to play the part of the cattle being lead to the German slaughterhouse by their inept commanders anymore.
When you consider (justifiably) that your own leadership is more hazardous to your health then the supposed enemy, you'd find some means to not follow their orders that would lead to your sudden, and inescapable death with no further benefit to the actual effort of winning the war.
The German High Seas Fleet did the same thing in 1918, under similar circumstance.
Dionysusigma
Member
Those are, indeed, telegraph wires. Smaller villages like the one shown wouldn't have had AC.
Something about the color... kinda makes it that much more real. Like it's ssaying, "WAKE UP! This actually happened almost 100 years ago!"
Something about the color... kinda makes it that much more real. Like it's ssaying, "WAKE UP! This actually happened almost 100 years ago!"
Ignoring reality
"Its real easy to stand alone when you have 20 miles of water between you and the bad guys."
Apparently the concept of Air Travel is new to you.
In the first world war, London was bombed by Zeppelins. In the second world war, London, other major cities (Coventry comes to mind...) all RAF airfields, the radar stations and ports were subjected to a bombing campaign called "The Blitz."
Amazing that a military historian of your caliber hasn't heard of it......
"The German High Seas Fleet did the same thing in 1918, under similar circumstance."
The German High Seas Fleet was bottled up in Kiel as the consequence of its tactical victory, but strategic failure, at Jutland two years before.
"Its real easy to stand alone when you have 20 miles of water between you and the bad guys."
Apparently the concept of Air Travel is new to you.
In the first world war, London was bombed by Zeppelins. In the second world war, London, other major cities (Coventry comes to mind...) all RAF airfields, the radar stations and ports were subjected to a bombing campaign called "The Blitz."
Amazing that a military historian of your caliber hasn't heard of it......
"The German High Seas Fleet did the same thing in 1918, under similar circumstance."
The German High Seas Fleet was bottled up in Kiel as the consequence of its tactical victory, but strategic failure, at Jutland two years before.
RON in PA
Member
davec: Good post. The French muteneers did not run, they refused to commit suicide for their idiotic generals and politicians.
Someone commented that even the Italians could beat the French, fact is that in 1940 when the Italians attacked southern France they were routed by the French defenders.
Someone commented that even the Italians could beat the French, fact is that in 1940 when the Italians attacked southern France they were routed by the French defenders.
davec
Member
The German Army was never a threat to land soldiers on the shores of England at any moment of either World War. Unrestricted submarine warfare was by an order of magnitude more of a threat then any air campaign.
The only thing the Battle of Brittan accomplished was to grind down the Luftwaffe to a nub by late 1940. Germany was bombing England with tactical bombers because it lacked purpose built strategic bombers in enough numbers to matter, and its fighter/interceptors lacked the range to realistically compete for Air Superiority. England kept two fighter commands in North England out of the range of Germanys fighters. If the Southern RAF command became too stressed (which it never really did) to repel the German air offence the other air forces would of been brought to bear.
All the air power in the world doesn't change the fact that England had the protection of the English Channel. It's real easy to be "brave" and "stand alone" when a body of water prohibits you from having to actually fight the army of your enemy.
The BEF in 1940 was just as "cowardly" as their French allies. Which is to say they weren't very cowardly at all, they just found themselves cut off and surrounded with their backs to the sea. Unlike the French the British actually had someplace to retreat too, a place that the Germans couldn't access.
In October, 1918 Kaiser Wilhelm and II and Supreme Commander Admiral Reinhardt Scheer concocted a plan to challenge the British Navy one final time. On October 30th, 1918 the vast majority of the German Navy refused to put to sea, as they considered the mission a suicide run that wouldn't change the course of the war (as they thought it was damn near close to being over). A general mutiny among the navy and dock workers arose, and even after the orders were rescinded the mutiny developed into a full scale revolt. Revolt began in other German cities within days. Shortly after the war ended with the Nov 11 Armistice, but the strikes and demonstrations and outright revolt continued.The general uprising caused the fall of the Kaiser and the eventual rise of the Weimar Republic.
Bart Noir
Member
To paraphrase Churchill, "some nub!" There was enough Luftwaffer left unnubbed to give the RAF and US Army Air Forces a tough time for years to come.
No question that the Channel is a darn good defensive obstacle. But were there not more than a few Brits fighting hard in the Med and in the sand of North Africa? I think some credit is due.
Bart Noir
Revisionist fantasies
"The German Army was never a threat to land soldiers on the shores of England at any moment of either World War."
You are obviously unfamiliar with Operation Seelowe, which was the amphibious/parachute invasion of England. This operation was ready and standing by, waiting only for the Luftwaffe to eliminate the threat posed by the RAF. Fortunately for us, it never accomplished that goal.
"The only thing the Battle of Brittan [sic] accomplished was to grind down the Luftwaffe to a nub by late 1940."
Utter nonsense. The RAF was at the breaking point because its bases were being bombed out of operation at the same time its fighters were being attrited by combat. It was only Hitler's moronic intermeddling, altering the Luftwaffe's targets from RAF and other military sites to London and other cities, which gave the RAF the necessary respite to stay in the fight.
"England kept two fighter commands in North England out of the range of Germanys fighters."
Which commands kept quite busy protecting Scapa Flow and the Northern approach to the channel, not to mention keeping Luftwaffe operations from Denmark and Norway over the North Sea from gaining total dominance.
"If the Southern RAF command became too stressed (which it never really did) to repel the German air offence the other air forces would of been brought to bear."
So, being blinded by having the Home Chain radar stations dive-bombed, having your air bases rendered incapable of launching, receiving or repairing aircraft because of repeated bombing attacks, all while losing men and machines in combat is not "too stressed" ?
"All the air power in the world doesn't change the fact that England had the protection of the English Channel."
Under that poor substitute for logic, we should not have an Air Force - after all, we have two entire OCEANS.
"Unlike the French the British actually had someplace to retreat too [sic], a place that the Germans couldn't access."
Perhaps if the French had not retreated so quickly, so soon, they would not have run out of places to hide....
"On October 30th, 1918 the vast majority of the German Navy refused to put to sea, as they considered the mission a suicide run that wouldn't change the course of the war (as they thought it was damn near close to being over)."
As the war ended 11 days later, they were right. As the ships had been berthed for 2 years with little maintenance, they were not ready for a major engagement. Hardly an apt comparison with the French Army of 1915.
What a fascinating alternate world history you've fabricated for yourself. Obviously not one to let facts interfere with conclusions...
"The German Army was never a threat to land soldiers on the shores of England at any moment of either World War."You are obviously unfamiliar with Operation Seelowe, which was the amphibious/parachute invasion of England. This operation was ready and standing by, waiting only for the Luftwaffe to eliminate the threat posed by the RAF. Fortunately for us, it never accomplished that goal.
"The only thing the Battle of Brittan [sic] accomplished was to grind down the Luftwaffe to a nub by late 1940."
Utter nonsense. The RAF was at the breaking point because its bases were being bombed out of operation at the same time its fighters were being attrited by combat. It was only Hitler's moronic intermeddling, altering the Luftwaffe's targets from RAF and other military sites to London and other cities, which gave the RAF the necessary respite to stay in the fight.
"England kept two fighter commands in North England out of the range of Germanys fighters."
Which commands kept quite busy protecting Scapa Flow and the Northern approach to the channel, not to mention keeping Luftwaffe operations from Denmark and Norway over the North Sea from gaining total dominance.
"If the Southern RAF command became too stressed (which it never really did) to repel the German air offence the other air forces would of been brought to bear."
So, being blinded by having the Home Chain radar stations dive-bombed, having your air bases rendered incapable of launching, receiving or repairing aircraft because of repeated bombing attacks, all while losing men and machines in combat is not "too stressed" ?
"All the air power in the world doesn't change the fact that England had the protection of the English Channel."
Under that poor substitute for logic, we should not have an Air Force - after all, we have two entire OCEANS.
"Unlike the French the British actually had someplace to retreat too [sic], a place that the Germans couldn't access."
Perhaps if the French had not retreated so quickly, so soon, they would not have run out of places to hide....
"On October 30th, 1918 the vast majority of the German Navy refused to put to sea, as they considered the mission a suicide run that wouldn't change the course of the war (as they thought it was damn near close to being over)."
As the war ended 11 days later, they were right. As the ships had been berthed for 2 years with little maintenance, they were not ready for a major engagement. Hardly an apt comparison with the French Army of 1915.
What a fascinating alternate world history you've fabricated for yourself. Obviously not one to let facts interfere with conclusions...
Bart Noir
Member
Troops from French colonies...
The French had African troops fight with/for them in both big wars and also in Indochina. At the time that Algerians were working up a nasty war of independence from France, there were Algerian troops who volunteered to make their first ever parachute jump into Dien Bien Phu (spelling?), into a losing battle at night. Some even managed to land inside the French perimeter. That took big ones, in my book. There were some Vietnamese (on the French side) who jumped also.
Bart Noir
Hat's off to the real troopers
The French had African troops fight with/for them in both big wars and also in Indochina. At the time that Algerians were working up a nasty war of independence from France, there were Algerian troops who volunteered to make their first ever parachute jump into Dien Bien Phu (spelling?), into a losing battle at night. Some even managed to land inside the French perimeter. That took big ones, in my book. There were some Vietnamese (on the French side) who jumped also.
Bart Noir
Hat's off to the real troopers
More francophilic apologias
"You are totally correct, let's give 'em back the Statue of Liberty."
Why? We paid for it - THREE times: WWI, WWII and Viet Nam.
"And yes, the French sure did leave Vietnam, what a bunch of wimps. If I recall, they did leave it in a better shape than we did, only 1/2 communist."
You recall poorly. First, they were RUN out of Viet Nam - TWICE. The Japanese crushed them and then the Viet Minh, AFTER British, American and ANZAC troops drove the Japanese out and GAVE Indochina back to the French.
Second, Viet Nam was still only 1/2 communist when we pulled the plug. The South Vietnamese could/would not resist effectively, and folded 2 years later.
While you're strolling down memory lane, tell us all about those French triumphs in Algeria.
"You are totally correct, let's give 'em back the Statue of Liberty."
Why? We paid for it - THREE times: WWI, WWII and Viet Nam.
"And yes, the French sure did leave Vietnam, what a bunch of wimps. If I recall, they did leave it in a better shape than we did, only 1/2 communist."
You recall poorly. First, they were RUN out of Viet Nam - TWICE. The Japanese crushed them and then the Viet Minh, AFTER British, American and ANZAC troops drove the Japanese out and GAVE Indochina back to the French.
Second, Viet Nam was still only 1/2 communist when we pulled the plug. The South Vietnamese could/would not resist effectively, and folded 2 years later.
While you're strolling down memory lane, tell us all about those French triumphs in Algeria.
While I agree with you about the first two wars, I just can't agree with you on VietNam. Roosevelt had no plans on giving VietNam back to the French, but later changed his mind because of pressure from Churchill. We fought over that land in WWII for our own benefit (and the Brits) because we could build bases to launch air raids against the Japanese in China, not so we could give it back to them. After the war, we helped them out in regards to supplies, but I don't think we really did them such a huge favor by continuing a fight they had clearly lost interest in. Our war in Vietnam may have been initially caused by the French backing out, but I can't see how the French should be grateful for that.
In the (less than compelling) interest of Franco-American
cooperation and harmony, I'll give them a pass on Viet Nam.
"Our war in Vietnam may have been initially caused by the French backing out, but I can't see how the French should be grateful for that."
Well, because OUR going IN allowed THEM to get OUT. But that was our choice, under the Domino Theory of International Communism.
Anyhow, I think we've repaid our debt to LaFayette and the Statue of Liberty.
cooperation and harmony, I'll give them a pass on Viet Nam.
"Our war in Vietnam may have been initially caused by the French backing out, but I can't see how the French should be grateful for that."
Well, because OUR going IN allowed THEM to get OUT. But that was our choice, under the Domino Theory of International Communism.
Anyhow, I think we've repaid our debt to LaFayette and the Statue of Liberty.
MilsurpShooter
Member
I've been studying WWI history since I was 8 years old (i'm 20 now) and this is the first time I have ever, EVER, seen WWI pictures in color. Sir I want to say thank you and if your ever in NY there is a BBQ restauraunt I know of and will buy you a meal from. That picture of the train car had to be the best one in the set, showing the true firepower of machine guns that these brave men charged into in a straight line.
Thank you once again, each one of them are now saved to my hard drive
Thank you once again, each one of them are now saved to my hard drive
French fighting
The French Generals used the troops as pure "Cannon Fodder", marching across no-mans land shoulder to shoulder like in our Civil War,but in WW1 the machine was there and they were mowed down like weeds.When our troops went over there they tried to do the same thing with our people,----The French Generals hadn't learnd a thing in 4 years of slaughter. Our general Hardoard told Pershing about this and our troops were put under our officers and our troops attacked in the new "open formation type of attack that surprised the Krauts and the French.
The French Generals used the troops as pure "Cannon Fodder", marching across no-mans land shoulder to shoulder like in our Civil War,but in WW1 the machine was there and they were mowed down like weeds.When our troops went over there they tried to do the same thing with our people,----The French Generals hadn't learnd a thing in 4 years of slaughter. Our general Hardoard told Pershing about this and our troops were put under our officers and our troops attacked in the new "open formation type of attack that surprised the Krauts and the French.
simon
Member
A group of American retired teachers, recently flew to France on a
tour. Among them was Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83. At
French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his
carry on. "You have been to France before, monsieur?" the customs
officer asked sarcastically. Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to
France previously. "Then you should know enough to have your passport
ready!" Mr. Whiting responded, "The last time I was here, I didn't
have to show it." "Impossible! Americans always have to show passports
on arrival in France!" The American senior gave the Frenchman a long
hard look. Then he quietly explained. "Well, when I came ashore at
Omaha Beach on D-Day in '44 to help liberate this country, I couldn't
find any Frenchmen to show it to."
tour. Among them was Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83. At
French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his
carry on. "You have been to France before, monsieur?" the customs
officer asked sarcastically. Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to
France previously. "Then you should know enough to have your passport
ready!" Mr. Whiting responded, "The last time I was here, I didn't
have to show it." "Impossible! Americans always have to show passports
on arrival in France!" The American senior gave the Frenchman a long
hard look. Then he quietly explained. "Well, when I came ashore at
Omaha Beach on D-Day in '44 to help liberate this country, I couldn't
find any Frenchmen to show it to."
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