The same thing, which is normal operation in southern Africa, becomes special treatment in France. This confuses many expeditionary officers and soldiers. Many Europeans think that Europe is the center of world civilization. Now it seems that Europeans have no idea about "civilization".
Their understanding is different from that of southern Africans.
Like the expeditionary officers and soldiers, many coalition officers and soldiers are also confused about the behavior of the expeditionary officers and soldiers in southern Africa.
Take canned luncheon meat, for example. Although canned luncheon meat has a lot of starch, it is called "meat" but there is no meat at all, and too much palm oil is used. It is a bit greasy after eating too much. However, in the case of the world war, for many coalition forces
For officers and soldiers, luncheon meat is still a rare delicacy. In France and Belgium, canned luncheon meat has become a general reference equivalent to currency.
Next to the camp of the expeditionary force, there are many women who are engaged in special industries. Sometimes a can of lunch meat can make you have an affair with a woman overnight.
Unlike the coalition officers and soldiers who pursue luncheon meat, the officers and soldiers of the Southern African Expeditionary Force stay away from luncheon meat. Many expeditionary officers and soldiers would rather eat canned fruit that tastes a little weird than luncheon meat, which is considered delicious by the coalition officers and soldiers.
"There's no meat in it at all. It's made from animal offal and starch -" Expeditionary officers and soldiers would explain this way whenever they were asked why they didn't eat luncheon meat.
"Animal offal is also meat -" Allied officers and soldiers really couldn't figure it out. Who said white people don't eat animal offal? Foie gras is also animal offal.
"Well, since you like luncheon meat so much, then I will give you my luncheon meat, and you give me your canned peas -" Most of the time, the discussion ended in an exchange, and the coalition officers and soldiers who got the luncheon meat thought they had earned it.
After getting a huge bargain, the soldiers of the expeditionary force who exchanged luncheon meat for peas did not think they had suffered a loss.
On Christmas Eve, the Allied Expeditionary Force prepared Christmas gifts for the officers and soldiers. The Allied Forces prepared apples and a hearty meal of potato and beef stew. The soldiers of the Allied Expeditionary Force received a "big gift package", which included wine, cigarettes, chocolate-filled candies, instant coffee and
A fruit set.
The 11th Division is an integrated division composed of Chinese soldiers and white soldiers. This unit is only used to defend positions and never engages in offensive operations. The "gift package" they received is the richest. In addition to the standard configuration, there are also Nigerian
The Asalan State Government thoughtfully prepares New Year gifts for soldiers thousands of miles away
New Year's gifts include a belt, a wallet, and a lighter.
The belt and wallet were ordered by the Nyasaland State Government in Itno, and the material was made of expensive crocodile skin. However, this price is expensive for Europe, and crocodile skin products are not expensive in southern Africa.
The lighters are also windproof lighters produced by Iteno. Each lighter is engraved with a close-up image of a soldier wearing a helmet and a bayonet. Below the image are also engraved a few lines of words in English and Chinese. The English is longer, and the Chinese is: The world rises and falls for everyone.
responsibility
It is difficult for white soldiers to understand the feelings of family and country contained in this sentence. Chinese soldiers are all honored. Before southern Africa sent an expeditionary force to Europe, some people thought that Europe was too far away from southern Africa and that the war had nothing to do with southern Africa.
It was under the guidance of the idea that "everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of the world" that the Southern African Expeditionary Force came to France to participate in the war.
Nothing to do!
How could it not matter? The international situation and national interests are too far away from ordinary people. The soldiers did not come to Europe with a condescending mentality of "saviors", but left their hometowns to fight in a foreign country thousands of miles away in order to safeguard justice.
From the moment the Southern African Expeditionary Force arrived in France, no matter what the dark-minded guys speculated, the Southern African Expeditionary Force had already occupied the moral high ground.
"Wow, this belt is so beautiful. The pattern on it - is this crocodile skin? What does a crocodile look like?" At the junction of the positions of the 11th Division and the French 35th, several French soldiers and several soldiers of the 11th Division
Having dinner together.
It was Christmas Eve dinner, and the position entered an unprecedented state of calm. No one was willing to shoot at this moment. A huge and endless bonfire was lit in front of the position, continuing to the end of the line of sight. If viewed from the air,
You will find two giant dragons composed of bonfires appearing in Flanders, with the Allied Forces position on one side and the German position on the other.
The German army also wants to spend Christmas Eve. In the past week, the coalition forces and the German army have a tacit understanding and have not organized any attacks. A soldier from the 11th Division inserted a wild flower into the muzzle of his rifle and leaned against the wall of the trench.
The cold wall suddenly became warm.
"I have seen such a belt in a store in Paris. It cost 1,200 francs together with the wallet. I couldn't afford it anyway. I just looked at it through the window. The salesperson's eyes impressed me deeply, as if he said to leave quickly, poor thing.
This is not a place for you to come - "A French soldier has seen a crocodile leather belt. Itno also has a store in Paris. The customer base is for everyone. Ordinary soldiers cannot afford a crocodile leather belt, and the price is low.
But equally well-made, sturdy and durable cowhide belts are available.
"It's too much. Even if you can't afford it, don't you even have the right to look at it?" A soldier in southern Africa couldn't believe it. The goods sold in Itno in southern Africa were also expensive, so the waiters wouldn't be arrogant.
Angry, even when facing ordinary people wearing ordinary clothes, they feel like spring breeze.
This is also related to the habits of people in southern Africa. The upper class in France wear suits and leather shoes, and they will bring an entourage with them when they go out, for fear that others will not know that they are members of the upper class.
Southern Africa is not so flashy. Rock and Anton usually wear jackets and jeans. The old man taking his granddaughter shopping alone without an entourage may be a state legislator, so the salesperson is pleasant to everyone.
"Let's see what's the use. We can't even afford it with our annual salary." The French soldiers smiled bitterly. Their salary is indeed low, only about 1,200 francs per year, which is less than fifty when converted into pounds.
If British soldiers were not serving in the colonies and had no overseas allowance or combat allowance, their annual salary would also be less than 50 pounds.
Relatively speaking, the salaries of officers and soldiers in Southern Africa are much higher. When the federal government of Southern Africa was first established, professional soldiers received overseas allowances on top of their basic salary. The annual salary was basically more than one hundred rand.
Although the annual salary of conscripts is low, after the outbreak of the world war, combat allowance and overseas allowance were added, and the annual salary is more than one hundred rand.
The key point is that soldiers in southern Africa have farms at home, and they basically don’t need the salary of soldiers to support their families. The salary of many young soldiers is their own pocket money, or they are saved up. However, soldiers in France do not have so many benefits. Many family members have the salary of soldiers.
As the only source of income, life is naturally quite tense.
Reflecting on the individual soldiers, the soldiers of the 11th Division are basically equipped with pistols for self-defense, and some are even equipped with two as a luxury. The self-defense weapons of the French soldiers only have daggers, not even a spade. The gap is not ordinary.
.
"I hope we can win as soon as possible. After we invade Germany, we may be rich -" A French soldier thought about it. In France and Belgium, the coalition forces should be more restrained and not go too far. When Germany is invaded,
The opportunity for allied officers and soldiers to make a fortune came.
There is no tradition in European countries of not taking the people at risk. When the German army invaded France some time ago, no small and large towns were spared. There was a constant stream of trains delivering loot to Germany. Some soldiers were wrapped in looters during the battle.
Curtains or carpets came, and the wealth accumulated over hundreds of years of the French Industrial Revolution was plundered.
Although Germany was reunified not long ago, Germany's industrial strength is still higher than that of France. The losses and humiliation brought to France by the Franco-Prussian War are remembered by everyone in France.
"Are there any trophies that you want to exchange? I have a pipe here, would any of you want it?" A soldier from the 11th Division took out a pipe inlaid with emeralds. This thing has collectible value, but is not popular in southern Africa.
"Oh oh oh, this pipe is so beautiful. I have a gold-plated pocket watch. Can I exchange it?" A French soldier took out a pocket watch that was not in good condition. There were obvious scratches on the crystal mirror, but
This is not a problem, some people like this feeling of being tempered by time.
"The gold-plated one is worthless. It's not enough to replace the pipe." The soldiers of the 11th Division are not stupid. You can consider the pure gold one and forget about the gold-plated one.
"In addition, this ring is made of pure gold and set with precious stones. I took it off the hand of a German officer. The officer was not dead at the time. He looked at me with pleading eyes, not wanting to be beaten by me.
I took his ring away, so I kindly helped him." The French soldier took out another ring that was still stained with blood.
The soldier of the 11th Division took the ring and rubbed it on his clothes. The inside of the ring was engraved with "For my beloved Marlowe" in very tiny characters.
Not German, but French.
I don’t know whether this Marlowe is German or French, but he must be the dream man of a girl or a lady.
"Although I still feel a little bit shortchanged, I still give it to you -" The soldiers of the 11th Division agreed to the exchange. This kind of exchange behavior is normal on the front line.
"If you are willing, I can exchange this pocket watch for your lighter." The French soldier was quite a thief and took out another pocket watch that was obviously in better condition.
"How many do you have?" Everyone was attracted.
The French soldier felt embarrassed and unbuttoned his coat. There was actually a whole row of them hanging in the coat, just like a watch dealer.
"The lighters distributed this time are very commemorative. I don't want to exchange them, but I have another one -" The soldiers of the 11th Division also have a trump card. Everyone in the world has only one responsible for the rise and fall of the world, but there are spare ones, and the spare ones are inlaid.
The kind of diamond that is exquisite.
The price seems to be more expensive.
"Everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of the world" does not have diamonds, just a simple sentence.