Why is France losing all these wars?

[Anonymous]

[Texaskid1]

Read your history.

France was once a great military power that conquered much of Europe. In WWI, they held back the Germans. In WWII they were faced with weak and incompetent leaders that decided to wave the white flag in the face of the invading Krauts. Most French wanted to fight but as solders if you are ordered to surrender but your General than you must obey that order. Even then the French resistance provided invaluable intelligence to the Anglo allies that helped pave the way for the D-day. Once the news of the Allied invasion spread through out the France , the resistance amped up their guerilla warfare tactics that helped to sow chaos with in the German troops in France thus making the Allied invasion more effective.

[Syntosi]

I assure you, France losing wars is a very new development in their history. They used to be a highly militaristic society and fought wars against everyone almost constantly, hence why they are so big. The only thing that really kept them in check is that Britain did not let them get into the water, Germany is a thing and Spain was also a bit of a monster back in the day so France is kind of stuck where they are.

As for why France "lost" WW1 and 2? Germany. Simply put, Germany.

Germany is also a recent development and sort of cemented the end of the French rule of terror. Germany (especially historically) is a massive behemoth of factories and guns and they have had some of the greatest military minds in human history. To put it bluntly, Germany used to be even more militarily oppressive than USA is today.

It is of course more complicated than that but it suffices for a foundational understanding.

[Julie4]

No, France didn't lose all those wars. In fact, for a long time France was a military giant. We have faced several European coalitions in the course of our history.


Things started to go wrong for us at the end of the 19th century. It should also be said that from then on, the various European nations experienced demographic growth, whereas France was in demographic decline. At the time of the Second World War, Germany's population was twice that of France.

[Anonymous]

What war have they lost? They lost in Algerian war, Vietnam war, won in WW1, won in WW2, had a draw in the crimran war, lost the Franco-prussian war, won the hundred years war, napoleon won many wars. France has actually won more wars than any country in history.

[Fireguy17]

no clue.
there used to be an old joke about the French.
Why do French tanks have 6 speeds in reverse and 1 speed forward?
In case the get attacked from the rear.
I didn't say it was a good joke, I just happen to remember it.

[lightbulb27]

napoleon and his frenchmen did ok at austerlitz.

Beyond that, they really don't want to fight, they want to eat.

[Danny_dan92]

What wars? The last conflict they were involved in to my understanding is Vietnam.

[Anonymous]

because their men are soft and weak and now France is a feminist country

[Anonymous]

It is because of what they did to Joan d'Arc. Since then their most effective unit is the foreign legion; and their most effective commander is a Corsican.

[RavVid]

Which wars are you thinking of?

[Asker]

World War II , World War I , Late 19th century: the Franco-Prussian war

[RavVid]

The Franco-Prussian one is interesting. The Prussian breech loading needle gun decimated the Austrians about 10 years so the French developed the better chassepot gun. Unfortunately for the French the Prussians had spent time developing better field artillery so they were still at a technical advantage.

France won WWI with a lot of help.

In WW2 it was more a political class morale collapse than a French people collapse.

Waterloo, Seven years war/American Revolution, 30 years war weren't bright spots either.

[Julie4]

@RavVid

Waterloo was the result of almost 20 years of fighting against European coalitions.

As for the American War of Independence and the Thirty Years' War, I don't understand your point.

[RavVid]

@Julie4 Yes Waterloo is ambiguous in the context of 20 years of fighting during which there were many stupendous French battlefield and political victories. BUT the net result was a loss at Waterloo and Waterloo ended that era and there was a capacity for the 7th coalition to dictate,

With Thirty Years War, it was a 5 am too early in the morning for me. Apologies. Should have wrote Austrian Succession. England got significant gains from Peace of Utrecht 1713 which set it up.

The American Revolution was clearly not the best moment of history for Britain. It was even more of an unmitigated disaster for the acien regime as it's end was the consequence. Excellent for France perhaps but very bad for Bourbons.

Seven years war had gains for Britain somewhat at France's expense.

[Julie4]

We didn't lose the War of the Austrian Succession, and even won the decisive battle of Fontenay. The unfortunate Louis XV had the good sense to return our conquests. He did so because he felt France didn't need his new conquests.

Voltaire was furious when he said that France had fought for the King of Prussia. And the Parisians would coin the phrase "Bête comme la paix" ("Dumb as peace").

For the American War of Independence , the fate of the Bourbons was sealed by several factors.

[RavVid]

@Julie4 I was more thinking of the relative France vs England score card as under discussion of Utrecht

Interesting comments by Voltaire and Parisians you have quoted. They had to have stung Louis XV.

[Agape93]

Because they suck militarily

[msc545]

Sort of like the US, which has lost every war it has been involved in since WW II.

[Agape93]

Kinda. Then again nothing beats australia. Who loses a literal war to birds

[msc545]

lol really?

[Agape93]

youtube.com/shorts/NRD-pyw0_W8?si=m1rvWlbzjywu8Eh3

Lol

[msc545]

Wow. That is just... amazing. Thanks!

[Agape93]

Lol figured you'd enjoy.

[slatyb]

And rabbits.

[msc545]

@slatyb yes the rabbits...

[Crazzyyworld]

We r tired of wars… no more please

[Dargil]

Because their tanks only have reverse gear.

[Pale_rider]

Cos they're gaaaayyyyyeeee

[noohair]

What wars?

[Asker]

World War II , World War I , Late 19th century: the Franco-Prussian war

[msc545]

The US will keep right on starting and prolonging wars because military gear is almost the only thing we have left to sell. Everything else we make is garbage.

[Pohjolan]

So you listed three wars of which France was on the winning side twice...
You didn't think this one through did you?

[OddBeMe]

What wars?

[Asker]

World War II , World War I , Late 19th century: the Franco-Prussian war

[OddBeMe]

They won ww1. And ww2... ironically.