News, 'Second Paris' built towards end of First World War to fool Germans. (WWII, war)

[JD59]

Details of the incredible creation emerged as the French capital prepares to commemorate the 93rd anniversary of the Armistice.

According to archives unearthed by Le Figaro newspaper, military planners believed German pilots could be fooled into destroying the dummy city rather than the real one.

'Second Paris' built towards end of First World War to fool Germans - Telegraph

[Fred314X]

Wouldn't you think that "towards the end" of the war was a little late?

[Chango]

That sounds like a truly French plan; spend who know how much in cash, labor and resources in the middle of what was among the most terrible wars in human history to build a fake city with the hope that guys in wood and fabric airplanes would drop their hand-lobbed bombs on the fake Paris instead of the real one.

Nevermind building airplanes and sending them up to shoot down the Germans, or building antiaircraft guns.

[Grandstander]

That was just a portion of the French deception campaign. They also ordered a huge load of ACME paint from America and used it to paint fake highway and railroad tunnels on the sides of cliffs. The plan backfired when for reasons unknown, the German trains and vehicles were able to pass right through these theoretical spaces, but when the French attempted to follow, they encountered solid mass.

[harry chickpea]

Ah, the old le'Meep Meep strategy. The one where they frightened all the German Poosycats was more effective.

[PullMyFinger]

Originally Posted by Fred314X

Wouldn't you think that "towards the end" of the war was a little late?

Yeah, I think the American Airforce would have loved to see the Germans actually try to bomb something at that point in the war.

The French can thank Erwin Rommel for not burning down Paris even though he was ordered to by Fuhrer Mr Crazy.

[Bideshi]

Originally Posted by Anthony45

Yeah, I think the American Airforce would have loved to see the Germans actually try to bomb something at that point in the war.

The French can thank Erwin Rommel for not burning down Paris even though he was ordered to by Fuhrer Mr Crazy.

Rommel was just a lieutenant in WW1, and Der Fuehrer was just a corporal...

[PullMyFinger]

Originally Posted by Bideshi

Rommel was just a lieutenant in WW1, and Der Fuehrer was just a corporal...

hah, thought we were talking WWII-have to work on my reading comp. Sorry.

[Nighteyes]

That very strategy was tried, quite effectively, in Blazing Saddles...