Bastille Day, the French National Holiday, commemorates the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789. It marked the beginning of the French Revolution.
The Bastille was a prison and a symbol of the absolute and arbitrary power of King Louis XVI. By capturing this symbol, the people signaled that that the king’s power was no longer absolute; power should be based on the Nation and be limited by a separation of powers.
My Mother was born in France and experienced the absolute and arbitrary power of the Nazis during WWll. During the French liberation, she met and married a handsome GI Lieutenant in Marseille and followed him to the USA. It was a great adventure and a great love story.
As kids, Mom made sure we celebrated her love of family and the blessings of her new country on July 4th. And on July 14, we celebrated her love for her home country. This time the colors of the cake and ice cream were Blue, White and Red; the French tri-color.
Vive Les Etas Unis! Vive La France! Happy Bastille Day!
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