Not everything was about hit & run with them.  Didn't the Vikings settle too, like in Ireland?

Not only ! Normandy being the most famous one, but as far as Sicily and more… in America (l'Anse aux Meadows)

In some countries, e.g. in Belgium, November 11 is still an official day-off whereas May 8 isn't anymore.

All your base are belong to us  8)

Why don't the Germans celebrate Operation Valkyrie Day?  I see it as similar to Guy Fawkes in a way.

Well, they made a stamp commemorating Stauffenberg and Moltke…

2). Hitler was elected too but was he not a dictator?  Same with De Gaul and Franco for that matter.3). Petain only controlled what the Nazis allowed him to.Might I suggest looking up the phrase “Red and Black France.”  This might help to explain where I'm coming from in regards to the constant governmental changes France underwent.

I'm not particularly fond of De Gaulle but you can't compare him with Hitler and Franco !If you check the following English sources (whom can't be suspected of a pro-view of De Gaulle) you might notice these few facts:- As president of the provisional government, he guided France through the writing of the constitution on which the Fourth Republic was based.- On 13th November, 1945, the first Constituent Assembly unanimously elected de Gaulle as head of the French government. He held the post  until resigning on 20th January, 1946. (When his desires for a strong presidency were ignored, he resigned.)- In 1958, a revolt in French-held Algeria, combined with serious instability within France, destroyed the Fourth Republic. De Gaulle returned to lead   France once more. The French people approved a new constitution and voted de Gaulle president of the Fifth Republic. – He granted independence to all 13 French African colonies but the Algerian War continued until 1962.- In 1968, De Gaulle held elections and the country rallied to him, ending the crisis. In April 1969, De Gaulle resigned the presidency after  losing a referendum on a reform proposal. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWdegaulle.htm http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/gaulle_charles_de.shtml About Hitler: – in the 1932 elections became the largest party in the German parliament. In January 1933, Hitler became chancellor of a coalition government. He quickly took dictatorial powers.About Franco: – After WWII Franco came under considerable pressure to restore the monarchy. In 1947 Franco announced a referendum to establish his position. The vote confirmed him as lifetime regent.                    – Franco's strong anti-Communism made him popular with the United States and in 1950 Spain was allowed to join the United Nations. In 1953 Franco signed an agreement that enabled the United States to establish four air and naval bases in Spain. In return the National Atlantic Treaty Organization protected Franco's regime from foreign invasion.                     – military general and head of state of Spain from October, 1936 (whole nation from 1939 onwards), and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November 1975.Not really the same for that matter TMOAbout Red and Black France, if you refer to a leftist government: – the Popular Front, which won the 1936 elections and brought Blum to power as France's first SFIO Prime Minister. Indeed, for the first time in its history; L?on Blum became the first socialist and the first Jew to serve as Prime Minister of France. – A social-democratic and democratic-socialist party, the PS first won power in 1981, when its candidate Fran?ois Mitterrand was elected president of the Fifth Republic. Under Mitterrand, the party achieved a governing majority in the National Assembly from 1981 to 1986 and again from 1988 to 1993.Socialists held power in a government twice only.About Vichy under P?tain, you're right.  🙂

I wonder if, just like Guy Fawkes tried, some did succeed to blow away another Parliament on last November 2 ?!  ;D