112 Gripes About the French

82. "The French soldiers were supposed to hate the Germans, but they didn't waste any time shacking up with German girls."

That is as deplorable as the same conduct on the part of Americans.

Book of GI Gripes is a Best Seller 59 Years On

In this black year for Franco-US relations, an American book originally called 112 Gripes About the French has become a surprise best-seller in France.

First published in 1944 for issue to American troops in France after D-Day, it tries to explain the cultural differences between the two countries to GIs appalled by hosts they considered dirty, dishonest and deviant.

The book consists of a list of complaints, each accompanied by a patient explanation of why the French are as they are and whether or not the complaint is valid.

The book is online and can be read here.