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In any case they are a fantastic nation, but one thing does bother me about them, and that is their national pride at their military history. What exactly do they have to be proud of! If you look back over time they have blundered more often than they have smelled success. Though if you read a french text book they are taught that they won the battle of waterloo???? Can they be serious?? Lets just take a brief look at all recoreded French history.
Back in Roman days they were the Gauls, a proud nation who fought naked... and were easily beaten by the Romans in a great number of battles where they lost thousands of troops. When they mostly formed the Roman defensive forces hundreds of years later they were overrun by Germans (The Franks). These Franks who were a germanic tribe did enjoy success; but the Germans often do on the field of battle. Then there was the only real victory in the history of France, the normans invaded england and wales. Unfortunatley for France it all goes down hill after that.
In the hundred years war they lost most of their country to a tiny English force miles from home and suffering from terrible moral. What saved them? A teenage girl who had intense periods who was latter captuerd and killed. Most of the few battles in this war were won by the English, those that were lost were against overwhelming force. Still by the end of the war the French only forced the english back, didn't completely defeat them.
They didn't have much fun in the colonial times either, suffering many defeats (most at the hands of the British). When they do get an empire it is inferior, thats right inferior to the British Empire with one third of the world under its control.
Then Napolean comes on the scene. The French are very proud of this man, one even said "He's the greatest frenchman who ever lived". This man needs to realise that Napolean was Italian, and a nationalist at that. He blamed his many defeats (to the russians, Prussians, British, Austrians and others) on the fact that France was not a good enough host nation for him to be Emperor of. I agree. There was the huge defeat at Trafalgar and of course at waterloo where the British and Prussians sent the french away with their tail between their legs. How they think they won that battle is beyond me.
Then there is WW1 where Britain had to hold the line with France. The Somme was caused because the French wanted the British to relieve some pressure on their lines, look what happened there. Then when the French were given command of all allied forces for a huge attack with a million men they thought they would take berlin in a week. instead 80000 French died in a morning, the Canadians under their command though did achieve their objective. In WW2 they were beaten no doubt about it. Whats worse though is that they joined with the nazis. Some of the french navy sailed from asia to attack the British. Of course the British engaged them and defeated them easily. Then when they were LIBERATED by the allies they claimed they were never beaten due to the resistance and also got a chunk of Berlin at the wars end. Then what did they do? They went out to Indo-China and got masacred. i don't think they have won a war since colonial times and that was probably against natives with sharpened melons. I admit they have won some battles, but why the fierce pride?
Not only do they think they have the most glorious military history in the world, but a french guy said to me that "France is the second strongest military nation on the planet!", to which i said "How much al-ke-hol have you had mate?". This opinion is not just plain wrong, but insulting to the rest of the world. The French have the most notoriously cowardly soldiers on the planet. Have they forgotten about Russia, or China, or North Korea, and lets not forget the best army in the world (so long these reforms don't go ahead) The British Army! They have more nukes than any other european nation, perhaps thats what they are refering to? Then again they must still have forgotten about the rest of the world, especially Russia and China. How can the french think they are superior to three million soldiers, one million aircraft and God knows how many nukes the Chinese have. God knows how many nukes the Russians have. North Korea has about three million men in its army, and about fifteen nukes, or so teh CIA think.
I find this idea the French have that they are proud warriors with a great army and a wonderful history unforgivable.
1796: Napoleon weds Rose de Beauharnais (the future Empress Joséphine)
1799: Robert in France invents a paper-making machine
1799: French soldiers discover the Rosetta Stone
1799: General Bonaparte enters Paris
1801: Joseph-Marie Jacquard invents a loom using punch cards
1803-15: Napoleonic Wars expand the Empire
1804: Bonaparte crowns himself Emperor Napoleon I
1808: Napoleon Commercial Code goes into effect, standardizing commercial practices throughout the French Empire
1809: The baccalaureate examination is established
1814: Napoleon abdicates and is exiled to Elba
1814–24: Reign of Louis XVIII
1814: Congress of Vienna begins to remake Europe after the downfall of Napoleon
1815: Napoleon enters Paris, the beginning of the "100 Days"
1815: Napoleon defeated at Waterloo
1815: Napoleon is deported to Santa Helena, an island off the coast of Africa
1824–30: Reign of Charles X
1827: Nicéphore Niépce makes a true photograph
1829: Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre (1787-1851) joins Niépce to pursue photographic inventions
1830-48: Reign of Louis Philippe
1839: Daguerre annouces invention of first practical camera
1852: Napoleon I's nephew crowned as Emperor Napoleon III
1853: Haussman redesigns Paris
1854: Bourseul in France builds an experimental telephone
In any case they are a fantastic nation, but one thing does bother me about them, and that is their national pride at their military history. What exactly do they have to be proud of! If you look back over time they have blundered more often than they have smelled success. Though if you read a french text book they are taught that they won the battle of waterloo???? Can they be serious?? Lets just take a brief look at all recoreded French history.
Back in Roman days they were the Gauls, a proud nation who fought naked... and were easily beaten by the Romans in a great number of battles where they lost thousands of troops. When they mostly formed the Roman defensive forces hundreds of years later they were overrun by Germans (The Franks). These Franks who were a germanic tribe did enjoy success; but the Germans often do on the field of battle. Then there was the only real victory in the history of France, the normans invaded england and wales. Unfortunatley for France it all goes down hill after that.
In the hundred years war they lost most of their country to a tiny English force miles from home and suffering from terrible moral. What saved them? A teenage girl who had intense periods who was latter captuerd and killed. Most of the few battles in this war were won by the English, those that were lost were against overwhelming force. Still by the end of the war the French only forced the english back, didn't completely defeat them.
They didn't have much fun in the colonial times either, suffering many defeats (most at the hands of the British). When they do get an empire it is inferior, thats right inferior to the British Empire with one third of the world under its control.
Then Napolean comes on the scene. The French are very proud of this man, one even said "He's the greatest frenchman who ever lived". This man needs to realise that Napolean was Italian, and a nationalist at that. He blamed his many defeats (to the russians, Prussians, British, Austrians and others) on the fact that France was not a good enough host nation for him to be Emperor of. I agree. There was the huge defeat at Trafalgar and of course at waterloo where the British and Prussians sent the french away with their tail between their legs. How they think they won that battle is beyond me.
Then there is WW1 where Britain had to hold the line with France. The Somme was caused because the French wanted the British to relieve some pressure on their lines, look what happened there. Then when the French were given command of all allied forces for a huge attack with a million men they thought they would take berlin in a week. instead 80000 French died in a morning, the Canadians under their command though did achieve their objective. In WW2 they were beaten no doubt about it. Whats worse though is that they joined with the nazis. Some of the french navy sailed from asia to attack the British. Of course the British engaged them and defeated them easily. Then when they were LIBERATED by the allies they claimed they were never beaten due to the resistance and also got a chunk of Berlin at the wars end. Then what did they do? They went out to Indo-China and got masacred. i don't think they have won a war since colonial times and that was probably against natives with sharpened melons. I admit they have won some battles, but why the fierce pride?
Not only do they think they have the most glorious military history in the world, but a french guy said to me that "France is the second strongest military nation on the planet!", to which i said "How much al-ke-hol have you had mate?". This opinion is not just plain wrong, but insulting to the rest of the world. The French have the most notoriously cowardly soldiers on the planet. Have they forgotten about Russia, or China, or North Korea, and lets not forget the best army in the world (so long these reforms don't go ahead) The British Army! They have more nukes than any other european nation, perhaps thats what they are refering to? Then again they must still have forgotten about the rest of the world, especially Russia and China. How can the french think they are superior to three million soldiers, one million aircraft and God knows how many nukes the Chinese have. God knows how many nukes the Russians have. North Korea has about three million men in its army, and about fifteen nukes, or so teh CIA think.
I find this idea the French have that they are proud warriors with a great army and a wonderful history unforgivable.