French War Brides in America: An Oral History Hilary Kaiser Author

In 1944 and 1945, millions of American soldiers took part in the Liberation of France. It was impossible for these GIs, who brought with them freedom, health, and wealth, to avoid fraternizing with French women. Some 6,500 Franco-American marriages would later take place. Many of these women would cross the Atlantic to join their husbands, following the example of their compatriots who had wed doughboys after World War I. From the very beginning, such flirtations provoked the irritation of conservatives in France and of puritanical Americans. The former feared the debauchery of their young women, the latter the subversion of their boys. As for marriages, many difficulties first had to be overcome. Fearing an expensive inflow of war brides, who would benefit from free transportation to the U.S. and later acquire American citizenship, the U.S. Army and Washington put up obstacles. Many Americans also had a very sceptical attitude towards the integration of these brides, since French women--often dubbed Oh-la-la girls--had the reputation of being frivolous, difficult to handle coquettes. This book, a collection of oral histories, tells the story of mademoiselle and the GI by following the destinies of 15 French war brides--three from World War I and 12 from World War II. All of these women encountered cultural shock as they discovered an opulent and open society, but one which was also materialistic and racially segregated. But the women got on with it and survived. Although about half of the marriages ended in divorce, only about 150 of the women returned to France. Most of them, in their own way, lived the American Dream. Today these women are both French and American. They reflect the image of a successful betrothal between two cultures.