Do you really think that the French army and the French are cowards?

Question

_Troian_ · Accepted Answer

I don't know about that.. maybe they didn't have a good commander for a long time except Napoleon. However in general I think Europeans are more coward cause of especially their life style right now and propagandas they do, back in the day every men were supposed to go to army to protect their country and they were having a training for it. There was more masculinity however for a long time there is peace on earth especially at West, so it indeed feminizes most of their men since they don't face with possibility of death while trying to protect their homeland or people they love. Thanks god we don't have a stupid problem like that in my country, thats because we're close to Middle East, going to army is obligatory in here.. I don't even know which part of country they gonna send me as a soldier after I finish my university, they can even send you to Syria, Iraq or Eastern Parts of the country to take down some terrorists lmao.

BCA6010 · Accepted Answer

Right now, France actually does more than pretty much every other NATO country other than the US, and roughly comparable to the UK. You won't hear about it hardly ever though, because they've mostly been in Africa. Nobody in the west cares about what happens in Africa.

France has an extremely warlike history that only dissipated after world war 2, and their withdrawal from Vietnam not long after. They didn't want to get involved with Afghanistan or Iraq, but have been involved in Syria, and as I mentioned before, north and west Africa.

nightdrot · Answer

Of course not, and in fairness, to some degree, that reputation for cowardice is more imagined than real to the extent that on more than one occasion other Western powers, not least in Europe and sometimes even the United States, have sought French military support. Peculiar behavior for countries who supposedly believe that the French are - to borrow a humorous line from The Simpsons - "cheese eating surrender monkeys." Suffice to say, France's real standing among the other powers in the world is measured more by other nation's requests for French diplomatic and military support.

In truth, the French alleged reputation for cowardice was born of a series of events that, although distinct, were close enough together in time to give birth to the myth of French cowardice. The mutiny of the French army in World War I. France's defeat in World War II, and France's subsequent defeat at the battle of Dien Bien Phu.

Any one of these, by itself, would likely have made no impression on international opinion. Yet the concatenation of them all so close together in time hurt - there can be no doubt of it - France's international reputation.

Yet, looked at separately, each defeat had its own particular causes. The mutiny of the French army was born of the fact that France's generals could think of no way to break the stalemate on the Western front other than by using young men's chests to stop machine gun bullets. A bad habit that Clemenceau would break. It also being added that as mutinies go, the French mutiny was fairly stalwart. A refusal by the troops to engage in more fruitless attacks, but a determined willingness to continue to defend against German offensive operations.

The defeat in World War II has numerous causes, but at the most basic military level, it was not cowardice that was the cause. Rather, it was that the army had expected a war along the 1914-1918 pattern. When faced with "Blitzkrieg," the French were simply not prepared. Again, this was not cause by cowardice, but rather by a failure to anticipate the enemy's strategy. A mistake to be sure, but hardly unprecedented in the history of all great powers. See also Britain's defeat at the hands of American revolutionaries or America's defeat in Vietnam.

Speaking of Vietnam, the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu had more to do with the fact that France was still trying to rebuild and recover from World War II, and yet had intervened in the Korean War. (1950-1953). It being added that the performance of French troops in that war, though limited in scope, was nothing short of magnificent.

Indeed, France has more than proved itself. The defeats are remembered because, though close in time, they were the exception and not the rule. France performed brilliantly in the Crimean War, the Korean War, The Persian Gulf War of 1990-1991, the intervention in Lebanon (France's former colony) in the mid-1980s, and so on.

To any serious student of history, France has not been without its flaws and missteps - as is true of any country. However, overall, there can be no doubt that the France and the French armed forces have more than proved their skill - and their courage.

Anonymous · Answer

This myth goes back all the way (because Americans suck at history) to the early days of the 21st century, when America was looking for multinational coverage to justify their utter bullshit invasions in the middle east.

France had the gall (no pun intended) to say "non, not without the - how you say - evidence". This kicked off the right-wing outrage aimed at the French. And the American Republicans retaliated by renaming French Fries (which are Belgian, but Americans also suck at geography) to "Freedom Fries". And spreading the myth that the French wouldn't be any use in the conflict anyway because they are historically shit at fighting.

I believe this is what's known as "sour grapes".

Typical right-wing keyboard warriors know fuck all about actual war and actual battle. The French know plenty.

Shizunk · Answer

An attempt to conscript completely unprepared or unwilling soldiers to bolster the ranks led to that stereotype. Every time soldiers of any nation are seen as cowards, you only need to scratch the surface to realize it's a result of bad policy and organization and political machinations. That includes Afghanistan for example. The afghan soldiers on the ground are the only ones I wouldn't blame for their swift defeat.

Anonymous · Answer

No. There was Napoléon Bonaparte at least. (I'm German)

Texaskid1 · Answer

That is a bullshit lie.  Anyone that believes that should open up a history book. The French have a long history of war and conquest.

MrCommodore · Answer

No, not at all, that's purposely ignorant propaganda.

Anonymous · Answer

NO. It's a common stereotype, but the French are actually quite though, in their Parliament and in the battlefield.

Speaking of French, would you be willing to participate in a quick linguistics experiment?
Are there any fluent French speakers who would be willing to partake in a quick linguistics experiment?

MatthewA · Answer

Yes because I’m American everyone else is coward.  Rate my recent 😐

exitseven · Answer

I do not know but my father was a WW2 vet and he used to say the French were the best allies Hitler ever had,.

tartaarsaus · Answer

I mean, it was the French sailing prepared for war with NATO-ally Turkey while the others in Europe did nothing (except Italy and Greece).

ThatNoUVAtYourEyes · Answer

They are just smart enough to avoid conflict. Morons seek it.

Anonymous · Answer

yes but they look like brave soliders compared to the cowardly chinese soldiers

karaspara · Answer

No I know they aren't

Alexandrubaschet08 · Answer

Nop, but traitors yes :)

Reverselogic · Answer

No. Americans invented that horseshit.

Stoner710 · Answer

During ww1 and 2 yes over all no

KrakenAttackin · Answer

No, not at all.

anylolone · Answer

Nope, it's just a joke because of WWI and WWII.

ChiPaPa · Answer

Nope.

rcljr · Answer

LMAO !

Anonymous · Answer

Yeah

Do you really think that the French army and the French are cowards?

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