“France has discovered Lafayette in this age only because America never forgot him”
This article reports that the Marquis de Lafayette (Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier de Lafayette, 1757-1834), who seemed heaven-sent when he appeared in Philadelphia in order to aid the Americans in their revolt against the British, had been largely forgotten by the French in the Twentieth Century. Indeed, the French were baffled to hear his name invoked as often as it was during the period of America’s participation in the World War One.
It is recalled that during the Great War, some disgruntled wit in the American Army woke up one morning in the trenches and grumbled:
“Alright, we paid Lafayette back; now what other Frog son-of-a-bitch do we owe?”
Lafayette We Are Here Picpus Cemetery 1917Lafayette We Are Here WW1 Americans honor Marquis de LafayetteGeneral John Pershing at Picpus Cemetery 1917Lafayette the Debt is Paid 1922Americas Debt to Marquis de Lafeyette remembered 1917General John Pershing honored Marquis de Lafayette's Tomb 1917French Opinion of the AEF1922 International Opinion of the WW1 American Army Current Opinion Magazine
![American Esteem[BR] for Lafayette [BR]and the French Memory](https://oldmagazinearticles.com/pdf/Lafayette_0001.jpg)
![American Esteem[BR] for Lafayette [BR]and the French Memory](https://oldmagazinearticles.com/pdf/Lafayette_0002.jpg)
![American Esteem[BR] for Lafayette [BR]and the French Memory](https://oldmagazinearticles.com/pdf/Lafayette_0003.jpg)
Lafayette We Are Here Picpus Cemetery 1917Lafayette We Are Here WW1 Americans honor Marquis de LafayetteGeneral John Pershing at Picpus Cemetery 1917Lafayette the Debt is Paid 1922Americas Debt to Marquis de Lafeyette remembered 1917General John Pershing honored Marquis de Lafayette's Tomb 1917French Opinion of the AEF1922 International Opinion of the WW1 American Army Current Opinion Magazine
