Why do people constantly pick on the French for being "cowards"?

September 03, 2008

In particular Americans?

I think it might have something to do with France being steamrolled by Hitler in WW2, but such an assessment belies only a total lack of understanding of European history whatsoever. Let me drop a name here: Napoleon Bonaparte.

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EmP - September 03, 2008 (02:20 PM)
I remember him. We beat him up so bad France exiled his stumpy arse.

WilltheGreat - September 03, 2008 (02:21 PM)
And again after he returned from exile!

But still, Napoleon was one of the greatest military minds of his era. He had the bad sense to invade Russia during the winter, sure, but everybody does that.

EmP - September 03, 2008 (02:32 PM)
I've often wondered why people think it's a grand idea to storm Russia in winter.

overdrive - September 03, 2008 (02:56 PM)
It's always amusing to see the reactions of the "French = cowards" people when one mentions that if not for General Lafayette and the French troops that came over in the late 1700s, there's a legit chance that the Revolutionary War wouldn't have resulted in independence from the EmPs.

Felix_Arabia - September 03, 2008 (03:29 PM)
If a Frenchman is a coward, does that make a French Canadian the most pacifistic person in the world?

Halon - September 03, 2008 (03:48 PM)
It's mainly because of WWII I think, plus they pick up us non-stop so it's only fair.

WilltheGreat - September 03, 2008 (03:50 PM)
I don't think legitimate criticism of American foreign policy counts as "picking on".

Felix_Arabia - September 03, 2008 (03:54 PM)
Will, do you know anything about history, since I just noticed on the forums that you said that the French were the first ones to get "hit" in WW2?

Genj - September 03, 2008 (04:04 PM)
Cuz the French eat fuckin' frog legs and snails. What the fuck is that?! Gimme 5 juicy, artery-clogging Whoppers possibly made from some sort of rodent, bitch.

Halon - September 03, 2008 (05:19 PM)
The French don't just criticize our foreign policy. Plus when we went in the Middle East in 2002 they supported us (as did most of the world)!

daff - September 03, 2008 (05:28 PM)
Most of the world doesn't like the U.S, but France seems like the modernized country(not run by a crazy person or dictator) that dislikes us the most.

wolfqueen001 - September 03, 2008 (05:28 PM)
Hey, Will. You know Lewis is English, right? =P

Granted, that doesn't quite invalidate your point, but... just thought you should know. >_> (if you didn't already)

Felix_Arabia - September 03, 2008 (08:54 PM)
What the heck are you talking about Sportsman? We didn't invade Iraq in 2002, and we certainly didn't invade that country with much support outside of Britain.

Most of the world doesn't like the U.S, but France seems like the modernized country(not run by a crazy person or dictator) that dislikes us the most.

Not so true anymore. Sarkozy is a much closer ally to us than that pansy Jacques Chirac ever was.

Halon - September 03, 2008 (09:48 PM)
"Invade" was the wrong word to use. I meant when we agreed to have military presence in the middle east.

Everyone was on our side in the beginning and wanted to help us after 9/11. Once we became sidetracked on our mission is when everyone but Britain and Israel began to hate us.

WilltheGreat - September 03, 2008 (10:50 PM)
Felix, I don't count neutral nations when I count which of the allies got hit first. Since neutral nations are, by definition, not part of any alliance.

darketernal - September 04, 2008 (08:39 AM)
Because they like to think that they are the heroes of said war, the only war where they actually did something right, and even that only after the war already lasted for 2 years, so yes, similarly as in the first war, they only went in it when crap started to happen in their own backyard.

As for why they attacked during the winter it was because it took too long for them to conquer Yugoslavia due to guerilla cells and so on. So he launched an attack a few months too late, but it was the only chance for the offensive to come, so he plainly risked it. Lost miserably, but risked it.

Plus, the actual people that are important, that being Europeans hate the italians far more then the french, so no worries.

sashanan - September 04, 2008 (10:07 AM)
Technically, monsieur Bonaparte was Corsican. :)

Felix_Arabia - September 04, 2008 (11:41 AM)
Poland wasn't neutral. They got attacked first. They fought on the side of the allies. Polish troops fought at Monte Casino and throughout Northern France. There was also the Warsaw uprising that saw the 90% of the city leveled and thousands of deaths inflicted on both sides. Don't know what you're talking about!

WilltheGreat - September 04, 2008 (12:24 PM)
Oh, I was thinking of Belgium. I always forget about Poland!

goldenvortex - September 04, 2008 (04:11 PM)
I went to France once and all of the women had armpit hair and all of the men wore thongs.

Does that answer your question?

janus - September 05, 2008 (06:58 AM)
Any nation that executes their king is OK with me.

WilltheGreat - September 05, 2008 (12:01 PM)
Long live the Queen!

Feedback
	EmP - September 03, 2008 (02:20 PM) I remember him. We beat him up so bad France exiled his stumpy arse.
	WilltheGreat - September 03, 2008 (02:21 PM) And again after he returned from exile! But still, Napoleon was one of the greatest military minds of his era. He had the bad sense to invade Russia during the winter, sure, but everybody does that.
	EmP - September 03, 2008 (02:32 PM) I've often wondered why people think it's a grand idea to storm Russia in winter.
	overdrive - September 03, 2008 (02:56 PM) It's always amusing to see the reactions of the "French = cowards" people when one mentions that if not for General Lafayette and the French troops that came over in the late 1700s, there's a legit chance that the Revolutionary War wouldn't have resulted in independence from the EmPs.
	Felix_Arabia - September 03, 2008 (03:29 PM) If a Frenchman is a coward, does that make a French Canadian the most pacifistic person in the world?
	Halon - September 03, 2008 (03:48 PM) It's mainly because of WWII I think, plus they pick up us non-stop so it's only fair.
	WilltheGreat - September 03, 2008 (03:50 PM) I don't think legitimate criticism of American foreign policy counts as "picking on".
	Felix_Arabia - September 03, 2008 (03:54 PM) Will, do you know anything about history, since I just noticed on the forums that you said that the French were the first ones to get "hit" in WW2?
	Genj - September 03, 2008 (04:04 PM) Cuz the French eat fuckin' frog legs and snails. What the fuck is that?! Gimme 5 juicy, artery-clogging Whoppers possibly made from some sort of rodent, bitch.
	Halon - September 03, 2008 (05:19 PM) The French don't just criticize our foreign policy. Plus when we went in the Middle East in 2002 they supported us (as did most of the world)!
	daff - September 03, 2008 (05:28 PM) Most of the world doesn't like the U.S, but France seems like the modernized country(not run by a crazy person or dictator) that dislikes us the most.
	wolfqueen001 - September 03, 2008 (05:28 PM) Hey, Will. You know Lewis is English, right? =P Granted, that doesn't quite invalidate your point, but... just thought you should know. >_> (if you didn't already)
	Felix_Arabia - September 03, 2008 (08:54 PM) What the heck are you talking about Sportsman? We didn't invade Iraq in 2002, and we certainly didn't invade that country with much support outside of Britain. Most of the world doesn't like the U.S, but France seems like the modernized country(not run by a crazy person or dictator) that dislikes us the most. Not so true anymore. Sarkozy is a much closer ally to us than that pansy Jacques Chirac ever was.
	Halon - September 03, 2008 (09:48 PM) "Invade" was the wrong word to use. I meant when we agreed to have military presence in the middle east. Everyone was on our side in the beginning and wanted to help us after 9/11. Once we became sidetracked on our mission is when everyone but Britain and Israel began to hate us.
	WilltheGreat - September 03, 2008 (10:50 PM) Felix, I don't count neutral nations when I count which of the allies got hit first. Since neutral nations are, by definition, not part of any alliance.
	darketernal - September 04, 2008 (08:39 AM) Because they like to think that they are the heroes of said war, the only war where they actually did something right, and even that only after the war already lasted for 2 years, so yes, similarly as in the first war, they only went in it when crap started to happen in their own backyard. As for why they attacked during the winter it was because it took too long for them to conquer Yugoslavia due to guerilla cells and so on. So he launched an attack a few months too late, but it was the only chance for the offensive to come, so he plainly risked it. Lost miserably, but risked it. Plus, the actual people that are important, that being Europeans hate the italians far more then the french, so no worries.
	sashanan - September 04, 2008 (10:07 AM) Technically, monsieur Bonaparte was Corsican. :)
	Felix_Arabia - September 04, 2008 (11:41 AM) Poland wasn't neutral. They got attacked first. They fought on the side of the allies. Polish troops fought at Monte Casino and throughout Northern France. There was also the Warsaw uprising that saw the 90% of the city leveled and thousands of deaths inflicted on both sides. Don't know what you're talking about!
	WilltheGreat - September 04, 2008 (12:24 PM) Oh, I was thinking of Belgium. I always forget about Poland!
	goldenvortex - September 04, 2008 (04:11 PM) I went to France once and all of the women had armpit hair and all of the men wore thongs. Does that answer your question?
	janus - September 05, 2008 (06:58 AM) Any nation that executes their king is OK with me.
	WilltheGreat - September 05, 2008 (12:01 PM) Long live the Queen!

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