"We surrender" Said the French
- Thread starter Sovvolf
- Start date
Recommended Videos
I love the idea of the french starting a war, and justifying it by saying "I thought it would make a good painting", the olden day equivalent of 'doing if for the lulz'Ultrajoe said:
It's attributed to France because they surrendered during WWII. The British and the Americans often rib them for it. But I honestly get tired of it. France was overrun in WWI and was barely habitable when Germany rolled through a second time a decade later.
England and america were never invaded. England was bombed, yes. But France's entire countryside was destroyed, along with most of their cities. Nearly all of the fighting took place in France. It's like getting kicked in the face, then kicked in the balls, and getting laughed at for coughing afterward.
England and america were never invaded. England was bombed, yes. But France's entire countryside was destroyed, along with most of their cities. Nearly all of the fighting took place in France. It's like getting kicked in the face, then kicked in the balls, and getting laughed at for coughing afterward.
I have to say that a lot of the American posters are very late with their posts in the thread. Almost too late to be of any use but I suppose that is only as should be expected.
That One maybe me wet myself laughing! Hahaha!!Berethond said:
I have no problem with the French really. Chilling scene though when the Nazis march through Paris. I remember when i visited the city and saw a plaque that told the tale of students that barred themselves in their flats fighting against the Nazi invasion. Its funny to make France a joke but when you get to individual Frenchmen... some are incredibly brave.
Lets do a brief rundown of French History. Well Normans conquered England, but if you called William a Frenchmen he would probably have had you killed. They were ethnically different. Now France actually had a decent military at this point, and they did well in the crusades. However they buckled under the first half of the 100 years war. At one point the English all but had it, however Henry V dies before his rival Charles (I think those were the kings names) and France rallied for the second half. France remained strong for the 30 years war however in the lead up to the French Revolution they collapsed and enemies were starting to invade. However the revolution happened, and then Napoleon happened who had the wood over everything that wasn't British or freezing.
After this France seems to degrade. They lost badly to the Prussians in 1870. Their resistance in WW1 was brave at first, but not more so than any of the other nations troops. At one point their army was on the brink of mutiny. Well, we all know what happened in 1940.
I would also make a point about the French Resistance. Mostly, its exaggerated. Relatively few Frenchmen fought in it. It was much more ineffectual, disorganized, small, divided and otherwise hapless than most people believe. If you want real resistance movements look east: To Yugoslavia, Greece, Poland and the Soviet Union.
Edit: No John! Most fighting did not take place in France! Most fighting took place in the East: Poland, the Baltic States, Ukraine, Belorusse (sp?) and the Soviet Union. France got of light because the Germans considered them Aryan, but decadent.
Then France collapsed in its overseas colonies. The key region is Indochina, especially Vietnam when they got spanked Dien Bien Phu.
So in all honesty they had their good moments, but mostly they are long gone to history (much like the Romans). And their defeats when they occurred were really embarrassing.
After this France seems to degrade. They lost badly to the Prussians in 1870. Their resistance in WW1 was brave at first, but not more so than any of the other nations troops. At one point their army was on the brink of mutiny. Well, we all know what happened in 1940.
I would also make a point about the French Resistance. Mostly, its exaggerated. Relatively few Frenchmen fought in it. It was much more ineffectual, disorganized, small, divided and otherwise hapless than most people believe. If you want real resistance movements look east: To Yugoslavia, Greece, Poland and the Soviet Union.
Edit: No John! Most fighting did not take place in France! Most fighting took place in the East: Poland, the Baltic States, Ukraine, Belorusse (sp?) and the Soviet Union. France got of light because the Germans considered them Aryan, but decadent.
Then France collapsed in its overseas colonies. The key region is Indochina, especially Vietnam when they got spanked Dien Bien Phu.
So in all honesty they had their good moments, but mostly they are long gone to history (much like the Romans). And their defeats when they occurred were really embarrassing.
Search "French War Victories" on google. Go on, do it!G1eet said:
What made the french, the people with one of the strongest militaries during the medieval era considered surrenderers... could easily be they have lost every war they have been in (Save for wars with other french) or that they consorted with the Nazis, and then surrendered the moment the nazis so much as fart in their general direction! (My choice of words there is infact meant to sound like the french from monty python
)Their women are pretty great. Especially women who can dance. But they can't be too snobby.TheSunshineHobo said:
Wait, then they wouldn't be French! dang!
Technically, I think in total number of battles won and proportion of battles won that they've taken part in, France is the most successful nation in Europe militarily.
They don't really deserve their reputation for surrendering. But they aren't popular with the British and Americans, so it's easy enough to laugh at them for their catastrophe in 1940.
They don't really deserve their reputation for surrendering. But they aren't popular with the British and Americans, so it's easy enough to laugh at them for their catastrophe in 1940.
Along with the deep cultural and linguistic ties they formed to the indigenous Frankish population that ultimately influenced their culture, including the general adoption of the language of the land (which added a significant chunk of French vocabulary to the English language after the Battle of Hastings). Again, like refusing to call my Mexican neighbors "American" because of their linguistic and cultural ties to Mexico.Faps said:
Since napoleonic times, the French have shown a resolve significantly weaker than that of many other European nations.
French admirals fled the royal navy at almost every opportunity for a fleet engagement in the napoleonic wars, and when they couldn't get away, they fought until their reslove inevitably gave way and they struck their colours.
They got completely and ignominiously fucked up in the Franco-Prussian war, making concessions hand over fist so that the Prussians would get the hell out of Paris.
Their army was on the verge of mutiny in WW1.
We all now how much direct resistance they put up in WW2. It's almost as if they decided in the inter-war period (1918-1939) that they'd just surrender if the Germans came knocking again. Compared to the Germans, the French had plastic tanks and paper aeroplanes. And not fortifying along the Belgian border? I mean, what the fuck?
French admirals fled the royal navy at almost every opportunity for a fleet engagement in the napoleonic wars, and when they couldn't get away, they fought until their reslove inevitably gave way and they struck their colours.
They got completely and ignominiously fucked up in the Franco-Prussian war, making concessions hand over fist so that the Prussians would get the hell out of Paris.
Their army was on the verge of mutiny in WW1.
We all now how much direct resistance they put up in WW2. It's almost as if they decided in the inter-war period (1918-1939) that they'd just surrender if the Germans came knocking again. Compared to the Germans, the French had plastic tanks and paper aeroplanes. And not fortifying along the Belgian border? I mean, what the fuck?
Yes as the French did so poorly under Napoleon, its not like he turned an isolated and surrounded country around at all is it? Really your example is just silly, oh no they did not do so well at sea, well maybe not but did you have a look at their track record on the ground at that time? Or how poorly off France was before Napoleon took over? Really he worked wonders with what he had.WelshWizard said:
The French haven't particularly shown a lack of resolve in the last 200 years of war. It's more that they've just plain been severely beaten in a few major wars. When their army was crushed, what were they supposed to do?
