Thursday 28th May 2026
Difficulty: Medium
112 Gripes about the French (#1,287)
Photo by Calvin Shelwell (Unsplash)
112 Gripes about the French was a 1945 handbook issued by the US authorities to enlisted personnel arriving in France after the Liberation. It was meant to defuse the growing tension between the American military and the locals. Set out in a question-and-answer format, it posed a series of well-rehearsed complaints about the French, and then provided a common-sense rejoinder to each of them. It gives an interesting insight into conditions in France after the war.
1. Gripe no. 28: "The French won't accept new ideas. They're not inventive". Which of these was NOT invented by the French?
2. Gripe no. 45: "The French don't bathe". What was the ration of [poor quality ersatz] soap to French citizens in 1945?
3. Gripe no. 86: "The prices we are getting soaked [charged] is a scandal". How much did a dozen eggs cost in 1945?
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