This foot bridge, located a few miles south of Angers over the Maine River in Bouchemaine (translates to “mouth of Maine”), was a key access point for the United States Army’s 5th Infantry Division to help liberate the city of Angers from German control on August 11, 1944 during WWII. Greg found this while on a bike ride a couple of weeks ago with his French cycling friend and heard about the story from him. We rented a car and took a road trip yesterday to check out some smaller villages around Angers and stopped here so I could see it. What a moving tribute!
Translation: “This bridge, key to the liberation of Angers, was taken on August 8 1944, by the 3rd Platoon, L Company, 3rd Battalion of the 11th Infantry Regiment. In tribute to the American soldiers of the 5th Infantry Division “Red Diamond” and the 108 of their own lost in the liberation of Angers, the freedom and the democracy, on the 8th, 9th, and 10th of August 1944.’
The French have a deep appreciation for the collaboration that Europe had with the Americans to beat the Nazis in WWII and there are a number of monuments and streets named after Americans in France because of this. We found this to be true when we visited Germany a couple of years ago too, when we stood in John F. Kennedy Platz (“Place”) near the Dachau concentration camp that was liberated by American troops near the end of the war.
In our travels around Europe over the years, we’ve seen the ways in which people are reminded of the toll that fascist governments have taken on their countries and people. These countries don’t sugarcoat the history, lest it be repeated out of ignorance or apathy, as many families were irrevocably broken and the damage to the cities and economies took decades to repair. We worry about our family and friends in the US right now as we read from afar about the development of fascist tendencies by this administration.
I wrote about the Chateau de Brissac in July when we took our road trip to the French countryside. On our road trip yesterday, we visited the town of Brissac-Quincé itself, which hosts an annual balloon festival on the grounds of the chateau, among other great town events (read here). We looked at the little town of Mûrs-Erigné (pronounced “mur air-in-yay”), a bedroom community of Angers with proximity to the local rivers and outdoor activities. Lastly, we visited the adorable Chalonnes-sur-Loire and had a great lunch at an outdoor restaurant with a view of the picturesque suspension bridge, which was rebuilt after WWII after the Allies destroyed its predecessor to delay the advance of the Nazis.
It’s been great to learn more about the deep and meaningful history of this part of France and truly appreciate its beauty and strength.