INSTRUCTIONS FOR ARMY SERVICEMEN IN FRANCE 1942

As American forces awaited D-Day in England, the historically clueless U.S. Army got the idea that the troops could use preparation in French history, etiquette, customs, and language. This brief manual was intended to ameliorate the image of the “ugly American” and give the men first aid in befriending their allies. Romancing the women was left to soldiers’ previous experiences. Narrator L.J. Ganser meets no challenge with the government-issue English; his sonorous voice sounds like the cinema newsreels of the time. However, as he reads the table of useful phrases, both his English and French sound remarkably similar. And as all foreign travelers hope, “Where’s the toilet?” tops the list. Hearing the guide 69 years later reminds listeners of another era. J.A.H. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2011]