TOP LEADERS MARK WWI ANNIVERSARY
Trump criticized for skipping rainy ceremony
PARIS — Traveling from across the world to monuments honoring soldiers who fell 100 years ago, victors and vanquished alike marked those sacrifices yesterday ahead of Armistice Day and assessed alliances that have been redrawn dramatically since the dark days of World War I. The leaders of former enemies France and Germany, in an intimate gesture that underscored their countries’ current roles as guarantors of peace in Europe, held their heads together at the site north of Paris where the defeated Germans and the Allies signed the agreement that ended the 1914-18 war. After German Chancellor Angela Merkel briefly snuggled her head into the neck of French President Emmanuel Macron, the two went inside a replica of the train car where the armistice was reached and put their names in a guestbook. Macron then took Merkel’s hand in his, again highlighting the changes on the continent where two world wars were fought in the 20th century. “Our Europe has been at peace for 73 years. There is no precedent for it, and it is at peace because we willed it and first and foremost, because Germany and France wanted it,” he said. Merkel was equally convinced of the power their friendship exudes. “The will is there, and I say this for Germany with full conviction, (we intend) to do everything to achieve a more peaceful order in the world even though we know we have very, very much work still ahead of us,” she said. The open show of affection was a welcome antidote for Macron. Earlier yesterday, the French leader had a somewhat awkward meeting with U.S. President Trump. As Air Force One landed in Paris on Friday night, Trump wrote on Twitter he had been “very” insulted by comments Macron made in the days before that he considered anti-American. A century ago, the entry of
U.S. troops into World War I tipped the momentum toward its allies, including France and Britain. Even as he embarked on two days of observances for the Nov. 11, 1918 armistice, Trump said the United States now bears far too much of the burden to defend the West. After his meeting with Macron, Trump had been scheduled to head to the battlefield of Belleau Wood, 55 miles northeast of the capital, where U.S. troops had their breakthrough battle by stopping a German push for Paris shortly after entering the war in 1917. The battle of Belleau Wood proved America’s mettle to allies and foes alike, and by the time the war ended U.S. forces were at least an equal to any of the other major armies, which were exhausted and depleted. However, Trump canceled his visit because of rainy, bad weather and immediately came in for criticism. “It’s incredible that a president would travel to France for this significant anniversary — and then remain in his hotel room watching TV rather than pay in person his respects to the Americans who gave their lives in France for the victory gained 100 years ago tomorrow,” David Frum, a speechwriter for former President George W. Bush, tweeted. Trump is scheduled to visit a different U.S. cemetery close to Paris today.