Before, I will say until the beginning of the 20th century, the United States respected France, the greatness of its history and culture, there were even politicians and leaders who were Francophile or at least knew well the French culture and respect its power.
But since then, all that has disappeared and it seems that for the Americans for a very long time now that its history and culture is just average.
Personally I have a lot of respect and admiration for what the Americans have managed to accomplish through their history and all that they have brought to the world, I consider that the US has been a very positive force for the world through all that it has brought.
In brief. First, you are perhaps overthinking things a bit.
Americans, as a general rule, don't tend to think about other countries much one way or the other unless they are fighting them. (See also Iran, for example.) So the idea that they give much thought to France - or any other country for that matter - is a bit of a stretch.
Americans grew up in a continental sized country with two weaker neighbors to the north and south and two oceans to other size. Thus, geography tends to reinforce the very human habit to think about oneself first and not too much thought goes into the rest of the world. (See also the "isolationism" of the pre-WWII era. It was basically a mindset of "We'll let those foreigners do what they want and we are glad we are not them.")
Secondly, there is what Americans say and what Americans do. They may talk a game about France - though not nearly as much as you seem to think - but after Britain, the country in Europe they most visit or express a desire to visit is France. (Britain is number one mostly because of the commonality of language.) (Apologies, I actually had a link to show you on tourist data, but my computer is acting all flukey this morning and I cannot get it right now. I will try later if interested or you can look it up yourself.)
Thirdly, to the extent that there is a loss of respect, it came from France's defeat and occupation in WWII. This, by the way, is of fairly recent vintage. In WWI, Americans highly respected the French for the way they slogged out the war. (See also the book, The Last of the Doughboys by Richard Rubin. The author interviewed the last surviving US combat veterans of WWI - all at or over 99 years of age. The respect they express for France - and they really liked French girls, hey they are guys after all - would please you.)
Anyhow, it was WWII and France's subsequent dustups with the USA under DeGualle in particular, that hurt the French reputation in the USA. To Americans, the French seemed ungrateful and given that Americans had to land at Normandy to liberate France, that memory lingers and sticks in the craw.
Still, that is far less then you imagine. For the most part, Americans go about their lives blissfully indifferent to most other countries. Then, when they have the money to undertake foreign travel to Europe, France is their second most visited destination.
Best advice, take the tourist dollars and smile politely if they say something disrespectful. Which as I say, is far, far less than you might imagine.
You as well, and no, you did not mess up the translation. Rather, I assumed that if you were asking the question that you must believe or assume that Americans think about France - or any other country for that matter - rather more than they do.
To have a set opinion about someone or something, you will have to have given it some thought. It is doubtful that most Americans have taken the time to say the name, France, let alone have an opinion about your country. (Oh, by the way, I quite like France. Grant, my instincts are Anglophile, but I have a great respect for what France has done in Western history.)
Anyhow, we over in this American house hope you are feeling better.
Oh okay, to be honest I didn't think like that at all.
Oh yes I remember you mentioning to me that despite the fact that you are an anglophile you manage to appreciate France, so we didn't miss everything, lol.
I'm starting to feel better, thank you very much for the kind intention, long live modern medicine, lol.
Seriously, we hope you are feeling better and that all is well.
Oh, and one last thing about that country that you call home. I DO have a high degree of respect for France. It remains a great power. Perhaps not what it was pre-1914, but it has a global reach, it has modern armed forces with a nuclear arsenal, the world's 6th largest economy, and continues to play a global role.
Grant, France and the USA may not always agree. By the same token, we did not get two world wars - and a host of lesser conflicts - because great powers always agree. Even the "special relationship" between the USA and the UK had its tensions. (See also the book: "Grand Improvisation: America confronts the British Superpower, 1945 to 1957" by Derek Leebaert.)
Anyhow, we may not always get along, but France is a power that deserves respect. Trust me on that one - and as a guy who has worked with our State Department and our Congress, I can tell you that among the well informed, that is a broadly held view.
I don't think Americans overall have lost respect for France. Maybe stupid and ignorant Americans have, but certainly not Americans who are intelligent and aware of history, technology, and international affairs.
Try to look at the stupid or ignorant Americans disrespecting France as being like whiny 4-year-old children insulting their teacher by calling her a name like "Poopyhead" all because she told them it is naptime. She doesn't take their insults seriously because she doesn't respect their opinion...
... and that what any French people should think when worried that stupid or ignorant Americans do not respect France.
i think it's similar to the uk because france was also a big power up until the 50s (suez crisis knocked both the uk and france down) and america and the soviet union rose in prominence in their absence, after the cold war, america had a good few years at the top before china started competing and now there's a lot of competition for a lot of things, so on a global scale there's that - on a more personal scale, i think america has become very 'for america', maybe french culture hasn't had that much of an impact on them either, and especially french history may not be taught as thoroughly in schools and I don't think many people will read up on the thousands of years of history or their revolution or contributions to wars or colonialism - i don't think it's a loss of respect, i think it's more a lack of awareness?
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Anonymous
(18-24)
+1 y
It may have been when France dared to suggest that invading Iraq was a bad idea in 2003
The American government hasn't had respect for France since maybe ww2. The US after WW2 interfered with France's imperial ambitions such as suez in the 50s, Algeria and of course indochina. Had the US government supported the French more at dien bien phu by sending troops the US would have had a partner in the Vietnam war. France would not have left NATO in 1966.
A lot of the "anti-France" sentiment in the US is due to pop culture, and potraying French citizens as cowards who either don't know how to fight, or are quick to surrender.
A big part of that mentality came out of those who lived through, and fought in, WWII. Those people saw what happened in to France, at the hands on Nazi Germany. That, coupled with the mindset of "America saved Europe," that the soldiers returned with, permeated American culture.
Then those young soldiers grew up, never letting go of that belief, and it just became part of the collective American belief system. Hollywood made French people look like losers in movies, etc; it just became the normal way for people to look at France.
Of course, that doesn't make it right, and those who know history realize that isn't necessarily the case, but it's just become ingrained over the last couple of generations.
I agree fully, but also feel like I have to add a little something to your answer God_of_Thunder. There was also an incident, during the start of operation torch, where the Vichy French in Algiers fired on the US navy as they approached in retaliation for the British at Mers-el-Kébir. A whole lot happened and it was a chain of events that caused it, for anybody interested follow these steps to see a little about this situation and what happened after. Wikipedia: Operation Torch: Background: Political situation on the ground. Basically, the US soldiers that invaded Northern Africa felt deeply betrayed by their allies and, as God_of_Thunder states, "Then those young soldiers grew up, never letting go of that belief, and it just became part of the collective American belief system..."
Many Americans respect France a lot. Basically secured our independence. But for the English in our country, the French and Indian war and past conflicts were on their minds. Later, the French Revolution and its bloodiness soured some American views of the French. Napoleon certainly made a lot of problems and opportunities for America. The war with Britain and France caused maritime issues for the country but the need for money gave the US the Louisiana purchase. World war 1, France was a bastions of hero’s. World war 2 France succumbed quickly but the spirit of the country fought throughout the war winning favor in the States. Modern joking about France is light hearted but to many it’s an amazing country. The US is in many ways a product of France as much as England and Spain. These countries were so intertwined that it would be hard to have the US as it is now without them.
First it has to do with on and off isolationist tendencies; as I see it Americans are part of the same western European civilization as the French but most Americans have a more narrow view of themselves.
Second there are views about France surrendering in world war 2 that cause low opinions as well as other silly narrow Stereotypes.
But please know many Americans have respect for your nation. Personally I love France and the French and have found the vast majority of interactions to be friendly.
I have my issues with France... ahemmm... not really since European union makes some decisons for them, but it's their country and they can screw it up however they want.
I agree with you on the USA, but we also are really screwed up. You know why... were losing our power, just like all the others that tried to hold the reserve currency and defend the world order. We're a sinking ship. It's still a great place to be of course...
When American tourists started giving reports of shit treatment in Paris, and I think when the French government started harassing Muslims. And also when French became too diverse. I've heard multiple complaints about your football team not being representative of the country's demographics.
Frenchies used to like Americans too, but in the last years of Trump administration the number dropped from 60% to only 30%, and I was very sad to hear this.
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Anonymous
(45 Plus)
+1 y
I'm guessing when America freed Europe... twice! The student became the master and then the American empire began that ushered us into the modern world we live in today. Relics like Putin still like to pick a fight every now and then but most the world would rather enjoy the peace and prosperity.
France effectively won Americas independence for them. However that doesn't sit well with their overly patriotic flagshagging so they belittled France as a way of promoting themselves.
France objected both the Persian Gulf War (at least for a while) and Operation Iraqi Freedom after 9/11 (rightfully so). The American hawks and their followers didn’t like that.
As an American I think highly of France. When Louis Chevrolet came to the USA from France we now have iconic car brand called the Chevrolet. We can thank France.
Lol I don't know but I never saw France as tough WW2. VIETNAM, which y'all started by just not living your colonized area and then how they let terrorist run a muck in your country twice and no police had weapons to defend the people.
All I hear about France is that they’re supposedly rude leople, but then again that’s probably mainly because American tourists mostly go to Paris and spend all their time there.
Our Soldiers fought in France against Hilter and so many died are graved over there in France. Most of that generation has gone and education here home to the birds but I still love France
This is exactly what I was going to bring up. Unfortunately, during that mission, a couple of our bombs dislodged and accidentally hit the French Embassy in Libya. Oops. I hate it when bombs do that.
Add to this the lack of backbone the French had in both world wars. Their stupid Maginot line to stop the Germans in WWI, and they basically rolled over to Hitler in WWII. Militarily, France has earned their disrespect from US soldiers. I'm sure if Patton had lived, he'd have far more stories to tell of useless French soldiers.
Then toss in how they roll over to Muslims with their stupid "no-go" zones... I thought France was a sovereign nation, yet they let others tell them how their country's going to be governed.
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