Sunday, January 5, 2014

201 Quiz Answer

Charles Andre Joseph Marie de Gaulle

(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "Z" is for "zero.")
An easy question for you this week.  What’s this chap’s name?
He was the tall one, standing off to one side, isolated from the group, in some photographs of the big cheeses, the leaders of the free world, back during World War II.
He hated having to stand off to one side,  What he called the limejuice types said, sorry, but your country collapsed in just a couple of weeks.  So you have to stand to one side.
He didn’t like the limejuice types.  He didn’t care much for the Yankees either.  Fact is, he seemed to dislike almost everyone; he even hated the big-cheeses of his own country.
Back when he was in school his 6-foot 5-inch height had the other kids referring to him as The Big Asparagus.
The Big Asparagus was a strange one, for a military leader.  He was an intellectual, and there weren’t many of those among the military leaders on either side of the Great Conflict.  His father had been a professor of literature and the son became a fine writer with what critics have described as a powerful, elegant and even poetic style.
He also wrote about military matters.  In the thirties, he wrote and lectured often on one key topic: You see, folks, he said, there’s this little device called a tank – we had it back in ’14 (you know, the war that was to end all wars) – but we never used it right.
We still aren’t using it right.  If all you big fromages would just listen to me, whatever those folks up north in Hitler Alley are planning to pull off, we’d be ready for them. 
One of the books he wrote claimed that a modern army should be made up of “mobile armored divisions.”  Well, the top brass didn’t listen.  Zero is the number of full generals, of whatever country, who enjoy being lectured to by lieutenant-colonels.
So the Big Asparagus had to be content to be faithful to his main activity: continuing to dislike everyone and biding his time.
On a beautiful day in September, the big bus named WWII shifted into gear and the bad guys from Hitler Alley took off in it.  It turned out there was not much that could stop them or their tanks – their "mobile armored divisions."
Our boy never said “I told you so” but that’s only because, as usual, most folks weren’t listening to him.  If you scrutinize his position carefully, however, you may decide that he had made a lot of sense.    

37 comments:

Helen said...

Not certain about this one ... General Douglas MacArthur?

Dina said...

Thanks for the lesson about C.D.

21 Wits said...

I like this twist! Could he be, Sir Basil Liddell Hart?

Berowne said...

My thanks to Dina who I THINK got the answer right - at least the initials.

Kathe W. said...

I do believe you are referring to Charles de Gaulle?

naturgesetz said...

C'est Charles de Gaulle.

humbird said...

Charles de Gaulle

Berowne said...

We've got some "winners." Kathe W, humbird and naturgesetz all have coughed up the right answer.

Glenn Buttkus said...

Sounds a bit like Charles de Gaulle, sir, whose country did fall in two weeks.

kaykuala said...

Berowne, it's Gen Charles de Gaulle!

Hank

Berowne said...

Glenn Buttkus and kaykuala have also given us the right answer.

Roger Owen Green said...

If its not a Brit or an American, could it be Charles de Gaulle?

Berowne said...

Roger Owen Green has come through, as he so often has, with the right answer.

Ginny Brannan said...

Ah, this was an easy one--afraid "fromage" gave it away for me!! That would be Charles DeGaulle!!

Tess Kincaid said...

Charles de Gaulle...

Berowne said...

Ginny Brannan and Tess Kincaid are two more with the correct answer.

Susie Clevenger said...

Could it be Patton?

Brandee Shafer said...

I know but only because I googled out of curiosity. I really like the line about not saying told you so b/c no one was listening. Tragic, you know, but it happens all the time.

Berowne said...

Brandee Shafer has just joined us with the right answer.

Meryl said...

This was before my time (albeit no excuse not to know). That said, based on the information you gave Charles
De Gaulle comes to mind - didn't know he was that tall, though. Great post and change of theme. Have a Happy New Year.

Lyn said...

I'm thinking tall..and cheese? Charles de Gaulle? Very well done!!

Berowne said...

Lyn and Meryl, or possibly it's Meryl and Lyn, have provided us with the correct answer.

MaR said...

I am completely lost but I enjoyed reading your post :)

Hildred said...

De Gaulle he wasn't terribly popular in the rest of Canada when he came to Canada and finished a speech with 'Viva la France".

Leslie: said...

Well, I do believe it's Charles De Gaulle of France.

leslie
abcw team

Berowne said...

Leslie and Hildred have both presented us with the correct answer.

Kate said...

Ronald Spiers? Kate, ABC Team

Anonymous said...

That would be Gen. Charles de Gaulle!
That sort of nickname stick with you!

Berowne said...

Another right answer, this one from uberrhund.

Altonian said...

This has to be that complete, vain arsehole - De Gaulle. Churchill had his number alright.

Old Egg said...

General de Gaulle who organised the French war effort from Brtiain after France was occupied by the Germans.

Berowne said...

Altonian and oldegg are with us - again - with the correct answer.

Kate said...

This one is NOT easy. Montgomery? Kate, ABC Team

Sheilagh Lee said...

Winston Churchill

Unknown said...

I never really learned about the Big Asparagus in my high school history class. We heard much more about Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin, and, of course, Hitler. Thus, to my shame, I would not have recognized this gent from the picture.

Lydia said...

Hi Berowne and Happy New Year. I recognized his picture, but, honestly, your commentary taught me more about the man than I ever knew. Made me realize that to many of us he was just a name, with not much background filler, bio, interesting stories told about him. For instance, it was news to me that he was an intellectual. Truly, such interesting and long-overdue information for me. Thank you.

Helen said...

... was I ever off base! Back to the history books I go.

 
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