Which country is it?

[Iriemon]

Oh cetainly they were on of the biggest empires in europe they just have a habit of losing. They did help us win our independance, and the french did certainly help the scots.

Now on the other hand, how did they fair with both world wars? We had to go into vietnam and clean up there mess. Granted we didn't do so well. The famous battle of agincourt, how did they do there? Franco-Prussian war? I can go on and on but you get my point.:mrgreen:

France lost WWI? I could have sworn they were on the winning side of that one, and even gained land back to boot.

 

[Iriemon]

Go to Google and type in "French Military Victories." Then hit "I'm feeling lucky." See what you find.

I did that. Good cite. This is a far more comprehensive review of French battles and results!

French Military Victories

Currently Tracking Victories: 101 | Draws: 10 | Defeats: 48[/B]


VICTORY 387 B.C. Battle of Allia - 387 B.C.
The Gauls led by Brennus defeat the army of the Roman Republic led by Quintus Sulpicius and go on to sack Rome itself.



DEFEAT 295 B.C. Battle of Sentinum - 295 B.C.
The Gauls and Samniums under Egnatius are defeated by Decius Mus and Fabius Maximus Rullianus of the Roman Republic.


DEFEAT 224 B.C. Battle of Telamon - 224 B.C.
The out-numbered Gauls led by Concolitanus and Aneorestus are defeated by Atiliua Regulus and Aemilius Papus of the Roman Republic.


VICTORY 52 B.C. Battle of Gergovia - 52 B.C.
The Gallic Tribes led by Vercingetorix defeat the Roman Republic army of Julius Caesar.



VICTORY 486 A.D. Battle of Soissons - 486 A.D.
The Franks led by King Clovis I defeat Syagrius and the remains of the Western Roman Empire.


VICTORY 496 Battle of Tolbaic - 496
The Franks led by Clovis I are victorious over the Alamanni.


VICTORY 507 Battle of Vouille - 507
The Franks led by Clovis I defeat Alaric II (the conqueror of Spain) and his Visigoths in a decisive victory.


VICTORY 732 Battle of Tours - 732
The Franks, led by Charles Martel, decidedly defeat a large invading Muslim force


VICTORY 773 Battle of Pavia - 773
Charlemagne and his Frankish forces utterly defeat King Desiderius of the Lombards.


VICTORY 885-886 Battle for Paris - 885-886
The Franks are victorious over the invading barbarian hordes, which had lay seige to the city.


VICTORY 1047 Battle of Val-es-Dunes - 1047
William, the Duke of Normandy and King Henry I of France are victorious against the rebel Normans led by Guy of Burgundy.


VICTORY 1066 Battle of Hastings - October 14, 1066
The Normans led by William the Conquerer defeat King Harold II and his Anglo-Saxon army. William would go on to conquer all of England.


VICTORY 1097 Battle of Dorylaeum - 1097
Unified Christian Crusaders defeat the Seljuk Turks.


VICTORY 1099 Battle of Ascalon - 1099
Godfrey de Bouillon and his Crusader army defeat the Fatimids.


DEFEAT 1119 Battle of Bremule - 1119
Louis VI of France and his invasion force is defeated by Henry I of England.


VICTORY 1177 Battle of Montgisard (1177)
King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem and Raynald de Chatillon gain a major victory over Saladin.


DEFEAT 1198 Battle of Gisors - September 27, 1198
Richard I of England is victorious over Philip Augustus of France.


DEFEAT 1213 Battle of Damme - May 30-31, 1213
In a preemptive strike, King John of England sends William de Longespee to attack the harbor of Damme, finding only light resistance, whilst King Philip II of France and his army is away in Flanders.


VICTORY 1214 Battle of Bouvines - July 27, 1214
Philip Augustus of France overwhelmingly defeat Germany's Otto IV and Count Ferrand of Flanders.


DEFEAT 1217 Battle of Lincoln - May 20, 1217
Louis VIII of France is beaten by King Henry III of England.


DEFEAT 1340 Battle of Sluys - June 24, 1340
The English, led by Edward III of England, are victorious over the French, led by Hugues Quieret and Nicolas Behuchet.


VICTORY 1342 Battle of Morlaix - 1342
French forces beat back the attacking English and force a retreat.


DEFEAT 1345 Battle of Auberoche - October 21, 1345
The French led by Louis of Poiters are defeated by the English led by Henry, the Earl of Derby.


DEFEAT 1346 Battle of Saint-Pol-de-Leon - June 9, 1346
The House of Blois allied with France (Charles of Blois) are defeated by the House of Montfort allied with England (Sir Thomas Dagworth).


DEFEAT 1346 Battle of Caen - July 26, 1346
The French and Raoul II of Brienne lose Caen to the British and Edward III of England.


DEFEAT 1346 Battle of Blanchetaque - August 24, 1346
The French and Gudemar du Foy fail to stop the English river crossing of the Somme led by Edward III.


DEFEAT 1346 Battle of Crecy - August 26, 1346
Philip VI of France falls to Edward III of England.


DEFEAT 1347 The Siege of Calais - September 4, 1346 - August 3, 1347
The French and Jean de Fosseux surrender after nearly a year-long seige by Edward III and the English.


DEFEAT 1347 Battle of La Roche-Derrien - 1347
The French and Duke Charles of Blois are defeated by the English and Sir Thomas Dagworth.


DRAW 1349 Battle of Lunalonge - 1349
French forces force the withdrawal of the combined Anglo-Gascons.


VICTORY 1351 Battle of Ardres - 1351
French forces lead victorious over the English.


DEFEAT 1352 Battle of Mauron - 1352
The French come up losers as a combined Anglo-Breton force earns the victory.


DEFEAT 1356 Battle of Poitiers - September 19, 1356
John II of France is thoroughly beaten by Edward, the Black Prince of England.


VICTORY 1364 Battle of Cocherel - May 16, 1364
The French and Bertrand du Guesclin find victory against Charles II of Navarre.


DEFEAT 1364 Battle of Auray - September 29, 1364
Charles of Blois falls to Sir John Chandos of England and John de Montfort of France.


DEFEAT 1367 Battle of Najera - April 3, 1367
Pedro the Cruel and his English allies are victorious over brother Henry of Trastamara and his French allies.


VICTORY 1369 Battle of Montiel - 1369
The Franco-Castilian combined forces led by Henry II of Castile find victory against a conglomerate of Portuguese, Jewish, Granadine and Marinid forces led by Pedro of Castile.


VICTORY 1372 Battle of La Rochelle - June 22, 1372
The French-Castilion fleet wins control of the Channel after a decisive victory over the English.


VICTORY 1373 Battle of Chiset - 1373
French forces, whilst laying siege to Chiset, repel an English relief force.


VICTORY 1382 Battle of Roosebeke - November 27, 1382
Louis II of Flanders and Philip the Bold lay waste to Philip Van Artevelde and the Flemish.


DEFEAT 1396 Battle of Nicopolis - September 25, 1396
The French Crusaders fall to the Ottoman Turks near Nicopolis.


DEFEAT 1415 Battle of Agincourt - October 25, 1415
Jean Le Maingre and Charles d'Albret fall to Henry V of England in what would become a massacre of their men-at-arms knights.


DEFEAT 1419 Siege of Rouen - July 1418-January 1419
The city of Rouen and Guy le Bouteiller fall to the English siege.


VICTORY 1421 Battle of Bauge - March 21, 1421
A combined force from France and Scotland defeat the English in one of the earliest English defeats of the Hundred Years' War.


DEFEAT 1421 Siege of Meaux - March 21, 1421
The city of Meaux falls to the English.


DEFEAT 1423 Battle of Cravant - July 31, 1423
Comte de Vendome of France falls to Thomas Montacute of England in a renewel of English-Franco hostilities.


DEFEAT 1424 Battle of Verneuil - August 17, 1424
England and John, the Duke of Bedford, is victorious over a combined Franco-Scotish force led by Viscount Aumale.


VICTORY 1429 Siege of Orleans - October 12, 1428-May 8, 1429
Jeanne d'Arc (Joan of Arc), Gilles de Rais and Jean d'Orleans of France defeat the Earl of Shrewsbury, the Earl of Salisbury and the Duke of Suffolk.


VICTORY 1429 Battle of Jargeau - June 11-12, 1429
Jeanne d'Arc for France leads victorious against William de la Pole of England.


VICTORY 1429 Battle of Beaugency - June 16-17, 1429
Jeanne d'Arc delivers another French victory over the English.


VICTORY 1429 Battle of Patay - June 18, 1429
La Hire and Poton de Xaintrailles of France defeat Sir John Fastolf of England, effectively turning the tide of the Hundred Years' War.


VICTORY 1429 Siege of Compiegne - June 18, 1429
Though Jeanne d'Arc is taken prisoner (and ultimately executed), the French resist the English siege from Philip the Good and John II of Luxembourg.


VICTORY 1435 Battle of Gerbevoy - 1435
French forces led by commander La Hire and Jean Poton Xaintrailles defeat the English.


DEFEAT 1444 Battle of St. Jakob an der Birs - August 26, 1444
French forces are forced to retreat at the hands of the determined Swiss Pikemen.


VICTORY 1450 Battle of Formigny - April 15, 1450
Comte de Clermont and Comte de Richemont of France defeat Thomas Kyriell of England.


VICTORY 1453 Battle of Castillon - July 17, 1453
Charles VII of France defeats John Talbot of England.


VICTORY 1509 Battle of Agnadello - 1509
French forces are decidedly victorious over the Venetians.


VICTORY 1515 Battle of Marignano - 1515
Francis I and his French forces defeat the Swiss.


VICTORY 1544 Battle of Ceresole - 1544
French forces defeat the Spanish Imperial Army.


VICTORY 1643 Battle of Rocroi - 1643
French forces are victorious over the Spanish.


VICTORY 1645 Battle of Nordlingen - 1645
French forces are victorious over an army fielded by the Holy Roman Empire.


VICTORY 1648 Battle of Lens - 1648
French forces, once again, defeat the Holy Roman Empire's Imperial fielding.


VICTORY 1658 Battle of Dunes - 1658
A combined Anglo-French army is victorious over the Spanish.


VICTORY 1690 Battle of Fleurus - 1690
This naval battle sees the French victorious over the Anglo-Dutch.


VICTORY 1690 Battle of Beachy Head - 1690
Another naval battle sees the French victorious over their Anglo-Dutch counterparts.


VICTORY 1693 Battle of Landen - 1693
Marshal Luxembourg and his French forces decidedly defeat an Anglo-Dutch contingent.


DEFEAT 1708 Battle of Oudenarde - July 11, 1708
The Duke of Burgundy and the Duc de Vendome fall to the coalition of nations between Britain, the Netherlands and the Holy Roman Empire.


VICTORY 1712 Battle of Denain - 1712
French forces led by Marshal Villars are victorious over the Austrian and Dutch forces..


VICTORY 1745 Battle of Fontenoy - 1745
Maurice de Saxe and his French army defeat a contingent of Anglo-Austrian-Dutch-Hano troops.


VICTORY 1746 Battle of Roucoux - 1746
Maurice de Saxe is once again victorious over the Anglo-Austrian-Dutch-Hano forces.


VICTORY 1747 Battle of Lauffeld - 1747
Maurice de Saxe is, yet again, victorious over the Anglo-Austrian-Dutch-Hano forces.


VICTORY 1757 Battle of Hastenbeck - 1757
French forces in Germany defeat an English army.


VICTORY 1758 Battle of Carillon - 1758
General Montcalm and his vastly outnumbered French forces are victorious over the British.


VICTORY 1781 Battle of Yorktown - 1781
French forces, allied with the Americans, are victorious over Cornwallis and his English army.

 

[Iriemon]

continued:

VICTORY 1781 Battle of the Chesapeake - September 5, 1781
France, coming the aid of America's George Washington, defeats the British in a strategic victory.


VICTORY 1792 Battle of Valmy - September 20, 1792
France defeats the invading armies of Prussia and Austria.


VICTORY 1794 Battle of Fleurus - 1794
Jourdan and his French forces are victorious over the Austrians.


VICTORY 1794 Battle of the Vosges - July 13, 1794
France defeats a coalition of Prussian, Austrian and Saxon troops.


VICTORY 1796 Battle of Lodi - 1796
The French beat back another force of Austrians.


VICTORY 1796 Battle of Castiglione - 1796
The French are victorious over the Austrians yet again.


VICTORY 1796 Battle of the Bridge of Arcole - November 17, 1796
Napoleon Bonaparte I of France leads victorious over the Austrians.


VICTORY 1797 Battle of Rivoli - 1797
Napoleon's French forces win over the Austrian forces once again.


VICTORY 1798 Battle of the Pyramids - 1798
French forces route Egyptian Mamelukes.


VICTORY 1799 Battle of Mount Tabor - 1799
Outnumbered French forces decimate a much larger Turkish force.


DEFEAT 1799 Battle of Trebia - June 19, 1799
French General Macdonald loses to the Russians led by General Suvorov.


DEFEAT 1799 Battle of Novi - August 15, 1799
General Barthelemy Catherine Joubert loses to the combined forces of Austria and Russia led by Fieldmarshal Alexander Suvorov.


VICTORY 1799 Battle of Abukir - 1799
Napoleon's French forces defeat another Turkish force in Egypt.


VICTORY 1799 Second Battle of Zurich - 1799
Massena and his French force routes the Russians in Switzerland.


VICTORY 1800 Battle of Marengo - 1800
Napoleon's French forces are victorious over Melas and his Austrians.


VICTORY 1800 Battle of Hohenlinden - December 3, 1800
A decisive French victory by General Moreau over the Austrian Empire led by Archduke John.


DEFEAT 1803 Haitian Independence - November 1803
Napoleon Bonaparte's army, led by Charles LeClerc is defeated by the Haitian indigenous army, led by Dessalines.


DEFEAT 1805 Battle of Trafalgar - October 21, 1805
Pierre Charles Silvestre de Villeneuve and his combined Franco-Spanish fleet of 33 ships is defeated by Viscount Horatio Nelson and his smaller band of 27 British ships in this decisive naval battle of the Napoleonic Wars.


VICTORY 1805 Battle of Austerlitz - December 2, 1805
Napoleon I of France is decidedly victorious over Russia and the Austrian Empire.


VICTORY 1806 Battle of Jena - 1806
The French beat the Prussians.


VICTORY 1806 Battle of Jena-Auerstedt - October 14, 1806
Napoleon I of France is victorious over Frederick William III of Prussia.


DRAW 1806 Battle of Pultusk - December 26, 1806
Marshal Lannes of France leads against General Bennigsen of Russia in this inconclusive engagement.


DRAW 1807 Battle of Eylau - February 7-8, 1807
The battle results are inconclusive as Napoleon of France combating the powers of Russia and Prussia led by Bennigsen.


VICTORY 1807 Battle of Friedland - June 14, 1807
Napoleon Bonaparte is victorious against General Bennigsen's Russians.


DEFEAT 1808 Battle of Bailen - July 18-22, 1808
Pierre DuPont of France loses to Francisco Castanos of Spain.


VICTORY 1808 Battle of Tudela - November 23, 1808
Jean Lannes of France is victorious over Francisco Castanos of Spain.


VICTORY 1809 Battle of Ucles - January 13, 1809
General Victor of France is victorious over General Venegas of Spain.


DRAW 1809 Battle of Corunna - January 16, 1809
Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult is unable to prevent the British evacuation of British troops from Spain led by englishman John Moore.


DEFEAT 1809 Battle of Aspern-Essling - May 22, 1809
In Napoleon's first major defeat, he loses out to the determined Austrians under Archduke Charles.


VICTORY 1809 Battle of Ciudad-Real - March 27, 1809
A French victory for General Sebastiani against Spain under direction from General Cartojal.


VICTORY 1809 Battle of Eckmuhl - 1809
The French defeat Archduke Charles and his Austrian army.


VICTORY 1809 Battle of Wagram - July 5-6, 1809
A decisive victory for Napoleon Bonaparte over Austria's Archduke Charles.


VICTORY 1809 Battle of Medellin - 1809
Marshal Victor and his French troops decidedly defeat Cuesta and his Spanish army.


VICTORY 1809 Battle of Ocana - 1809
Marshal Soult and his outnumbered French forces crush the Spanish army yet again.


DEFEAT 1811 Battle of Albuera - May 16, 1811
France led by Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult falls to the coalition of nations made up of Britain, Portugal and Spain.


DEFEAT 1812 Battle of Badajoz - March 16-April 6, 1812
Surrender and retreat by the French garrison to a force of Anglo-Portuguese is one of the bloodiest sieges of the Napoleonic Wars.


DEFEAT 1812 Battle of Salamanca - July 22, 1812
A major French defeat for Auguste Marmont against the Anglo-Portuguese-Spanish Alliance.


VICTORY 1812 Battle of Smolensk - August 17, 1812
Napoleon Bonaparte of France is victorious against Russia led by Prince Bagration.


VICTORY 1812 Battle of Borodino - September 7, 1812
Napoleon Bonaparte of the First French Empire is victorious against Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov of the Russian Empire.


DRAW 1812 Battle of Maloyaroslavets - October 24, 1812
General Delzons of France claims a victory over the Russians led by Marshal Kutuzov. Russians claim a strategic victory. Napoleon's stepson Eugene de Beauharnais is involved in the battle.


VICTORY 1813 Battle of Dresden - 1813
The outnumbered French route a larger multi-national contingent.


VICTORY 1813 Battle of Lutzen - May 2, 1813
Napoleon I of France is victorious against Germany's Gebhard von Blucher, Peter Wittgenstein and Gerhard von Scharnhorst


DEFEAT 1813 Battle of Vitoria - June 21, 1813
France led by Jean-Baptiste Jourdan and Joseph Bonaparte lose out to the Anglo-Spanish coalition led by Arthur Wellesley


DEFEAT 1813 Battle of Klum - August 30, 1813
General Dominique Vandamme of France loses to the allied forces of Austria, Russia, and Prussian led by Field-Marshal Barclay de Tolly.


DEFEAT 1813 Battle of Leipzig - October 16-19, 1813
Napoleon I of France loses decisively to the coalition of Britain, Russia, Spain, Portugal, Prussia, Austria, Sweden and several German states.


VICTORY 1814 Battle of Vauchamps - February 14, 1814
Napoleon and his band of 18,000 Frenchmen defeat 30,000 Prussian troops in the final battle of the Six Days Campaign.


VICTORY 1815 Battle of Ligny - 1815
Standing as Napoleon's final victory, French forces find success over the Prussians.


DEFEAT 1815 Battle of Waterloo - June 18, 1815
In Napoleon's last battle, he loses out to a coalition consisting of England, Russia, Austria and Prussia.


VICTORY 1823 Battle of Trocadero - 1823
The French defeat the Spanish.


VICTORY 1827 Battle of Navarino - October 20, 1827
A coalition force of French, British, Irish, Italian, Belgium, United States, Dutch and Russian forces defeat the Ottoman Empire and Egypt in this large-scale sea battle.


VICTORY 1830 Invasion of Algeria - 1830
French forces invade and conquer the North African country of Algeria.


VICTORY 1854 Battle of Balaclava - October 25, 1854
A coalition of French, British and Turkish troops defeat Russia during this Crimean War engagement.


VICTORY 1855 Battle of Malakoff - 1855
French forces help in overtaking the Russians.


VICTORY 1859 Battle of Solferino - 1859
The French are victorious over the Austrians.


DEFEAT 1870 Battle of Worth - August 6, 1870
Patrice MacMahon of France falls to Crown Prince Frederich Wilhelm.


DRAW 1870 Battle of Gravelotte - August 18, 1870
The battle results in a draw as Francois Achille Bazaine of France secures a tactical victory and Helmuth von Moltke of Prussia secures a strategic victory.


DEFEAT 1870 Battle of Sedan - September 1, 1870
Napoleon III, Patrice MacMahon and Auguste-Alexandre Ducrot of France fall to the Germans led by Wilhelm I and Helmuth von Moltke.


VICTORY 1884 Battle of Foochow - 1884
French navy forces utterly destroy the Chinese navy.


VICTORY 1914 First Battle of the Marne - 1914
In a battle of millions, Anglo-French forces defeat the Germans.


DEFEAT 1914 Battle of the Frontiers - August 14-24, 1914
French and British forces fall to the Germans.


DEFEAT 1914 Battle of the Ardennes - August 21-23, 1914
France, led by Pierre Ruffey and Fernand de Langle de Cary lose to Germany and Albrecht, the Duke of Wurttemberg and Crown Prince Wilhelm.


VICTORY 1914 Togoland - August 26, 1914
A Franco-British force successfully invades the German West African protectorate of Togoland.


VICTORY 1914 First Battle of the Marne - September 5-10, 1914
A Franco-British force led by Joseph Joffre and John French defeat Germany led by Helmuth von Moltke and Karl von Bulow.


DRAW 1914 First Battle of the Aisne - September 12-15, 1914
French and British troop actions end in a draw with the Germans.


VICTORY 1914 Battle of Ypres - October 19-November 22, 1914
French and British forces gain a victory against Germany.


DRAW 1915 Third Battle of Artois - September 15-November 4, 1915
France and Britain earn a draw against Germany and Crown Prince Rupprecht.


VICTORY 1916 Battle of Verdun - 1916
Casualties mount on both sides but French forces push back the German tide.


DRAW 1916 Battle of the Somme - July 1, 1916-November 18, 1916
The battle, like many others in World War I, results in a draw between French forces and German forces.


VICTORY 1917 Battle of Vimy Ridge - April 9-12, 1917
Though not fought by French forces, the combined Canadian and British forces gain the advantage against the Germans on French soil.


DEFEAT 1917 Second Battle of the Aisne - April 16-May 9, 1917
French forces led by Robert Neville fall to Germany and Fritz von Below.


VICTORY 1918 Second Battle of the Marne - 1918
A lead-French force beats back the German advance with help from British, Italian and American forces.


DRAW 1918 Third Battle of the Aisne - May 27-June 6, 1918
French, British and American forces halt the German advance.


VICTORY 1918 Battle of Belleau Wood - June 1-26, 1918
France, Britain and the United States led by John J. Pershing and James Harbord are victorious over the German Empire and Crown Prince Wilhelm.


VICTORY 1918 Battle of Chateau-Thierry - July 18, 1918
The combined French and American force (largely American) succeeds in taking the Germans by surprise.


VICTORY 1918 Battle of Amiens - August 8-11, 1918
French, British, Canadian and Australian forces are victorious over Germany.


VICTORY 1922 Battle of Maysalun - 1922
French forces rout the Syrian army.

 

[Iriemon]

Continued:


DEFEAT 1940 Battle of France - May 10, 1940-June 22, 1940
In defense of the French Countries, French, British, Polish, Belgium and Dutch armies are defeated by the Axis power of Germany and Italy.



DEFEAT 1940 Battle of Dunkirk - May 26, 1940-June 4, 1940
Britain and France are soundly beaten by the advancing German army, with Britain eventually seeking refuge across the English Channel and France falling to German occupation.


VICTORY 1941 Battle of Koufra - 1941
French forces, led by LeClerc, defeat the Italians.


VICTORY 1944 Battle of Normandy - June 6, 1944-August 25, 1944
Foreign forces made up of British, Canadian and American troops gain the advantage on behalf of France against the Germans. Not so much a victory BY France as a victory FOR it.


VICTORY 1944 Operation Dragoon - 1944
Tassigny and his French forces liberate the towns of Toulon and Marseilles from German control.


DEFEAT 1954 Battle of Dien Bien Phu - November 20, 1953-May 7, 1954
French forces led by Christian de Castries put up a valiant defense against overwhelming odds, eventually surrendering to the advancing Viet Minh led by Vo Nguyen Giap.


DEFEAT 1962 Algerian Independence - 1962
After years of urban and rural warfare, French forces leave colonial Algeria, earning the African country it's independence.


VICTORY 1991 Operation Desert Storm - January 15, 1991
A limited contingent of French forces, as part of a greater global alliance, assist in the liberation of Kuwait from Iraqi occupation.


VICTORY 2003 Cote d'Ivoire - January 2003
French peace-keeping forces succeed in stabilization of lawless western border.

 

[Zyphlin]

People on this site who apparently has no understanding of humor:

Iriemon

Did you know every southern doesn't really chew tabacco, talk with a "hick" accent, like nascar, kiss their sister, or have cars on blocks in their yard?

Did you know every italian is not in the mob, likes pizza, is somehow akin to a plumber with the same first and last name, or oily.

Did you know all polish people aren't...well, fill in blank here.

Did you know every russian is not drunk nor talks in "In soviet russia, blank blanks you" speak

Did you know that every irish person is not a drunkard, that just likes to fight constantly, nor are they leprachauns or have pots of gold, and actually do have food other than potatoes

Did you know that every scotsman doesn't wear a kilt at all times or are the equivilent of William Wallace

Did you know some british people can have good teeth, are not actually all secret agents, or wear wigs

Did you know all blondes aren't actually dumb and slutty

Did you know that all priests/rabbi's don't engage in pedophilia nor homosexuality

Not all Canadians constantly go "eh", are mounties, nor are they actually "housing our tree's" and they dont' all love maple syrup...

Not all australians say mate at all times, carry around large knives, and wrestle crocs

I'm sure I could continue on women, men, blacks, jews, mexicans, chinese, japanese, floridians, indians, middle easterners, africans, geeks, jocks, goths, metal heads, teens, preteens, 20 somethings, the elderly, children, middle aged people, etc...etc....etc

 

[Iriemon]

People on this site who apparently has no understanding of humor:

Iriemon

Did you know every southern doesn't really chew tabacco, talk with a "hick" accent, like nascar, kiss their sister, or have cars on blocks in their yard?

Did you know every italian is not in the mob, likes pizza, is somehow akin to a plumber with the same first and last name, or oily.

Did you know all polish people aren't...well, fill in blank here.

Did you know every russian is not drunk nor talks in "In soviet russia, blank blanks you" speak

Did you know that every irish person is not a drunkard, that just likes to fight constantly, nor are they leprachauns or have pots of gold, and actually do have food other than potatoes

Did you know that every scotsman doesn't wear a kilt at all times or are the equivilent of William Wallace

Did you know some british people can have good teeth, are not actually all secret agents, or wear wigs

Did you know all blondes aren't actually dumb and slutty

Did you know that all priests/rabbi's don't engage in pedophilia nor homosexuality

Not all Canadians constantly go "eh", are mounties, nor are they actually "housing our tree's" and they dont' all love maple syrup...

Not all australians say mate at all times, carry around large knives, and wrestle crocs

I'm sure I could continue on women, men, blacks, jews, mexicans, chinese, japanese, floridians, indians, middle easterners, africans, geeks, jocks, goths, metal heads, teens, preteens, 20 somethings, the elderly, children, middle aged people, etc...etc....etc

Yep.

And yeah, I agree this subject is a pet peeve. I'm just sick and tired of whining mean spirited neocons ranking on and insulting France and French soldiers just because the baby-assed poor loser neocons were totally wrong about Iraq and France was right.

France sent ships and soldiers to our aid in 1778 which is the only reason why we won our indepedence. They've never been in a war against us. They fought and died with us in two world wars. They've been our allies in wars and in the spirit of democracy.

They gave us the statute of Liberty.

They sent their men to fight with ours wars in the first Gulf war, Bosnia, and Afghanistan. In the case of Afghanistan, the French had no reason to send troops there, except they are our friends.

Which, by the way, is a hell of a lot more than we did to help them when they were fighting Nazi Germany in 1939 and 1940 while we sat out.

In Iraq, they were prepared to send troops, but they wanted to wait to give the inspectors more time, who after all, after months of searching had found *nothing* of the WMDs where our "intellegence" said they would be. But Bush and his band of neocon puppet masters knew that waiting might blow their excuse to attack Iraq, and arrogantly told the French **** off.

And history has shown the French were totally right and the neocons totally wrong, and when that happens the neocons go into their typical mode: attack, insult, lie, smear, one of our best, longest lasting allies and a nation with a proud military history and brave fighting men.

It disgusts me. Sorry.

 

[WI Crippler]

For the record, the OP mistates my contention. My contention was that jokes about poor fighters had traditionally been made about the Italians, and ranking on the French about their fighting ability only came into fashion in recent years as a result of neocons getting their panties in a knot about France because France was completely right about Iraq and the neocons were completely wrong.

Anyone interested can read my posts in this thread:

http://www.debatepolitics.com/lighter-side/29145-going-war-france-like-2.html

Neocons -- ya'll have fun!

No, you mistake my intention. I am merely pointing out that the French surrender jokes have been around since before the Iraq war, your contention was that it wasn't until we lambasted them for not going to war with us(and that we made fun of the italians before that), and that it all started around the "Freedom Fries" episode.........

Iriemon
Nah, it was always the Italians. We got the French jokes about the same times the started putting "freedom fries" on menus.

The above quote is absolutely false, and is why I made this thread. It doesn't matter what you think about the French, Iraq War, Freedom Fries, Neo Cons, or the really lame South Park series premier. The fact is, that the French have consistently been the butt of surrender jokes to include periods before the Iraq War, not the Italians.

 

[Iriemon]

And no I'm not French and don't have a drop of French blood in me. I'm German and English descent.

It's just lame.

 

[Iriemon]

No, you mistake my intention. I am merely pointing out that the French surrender jokes have been around since before the Iraq war, your contention was that it wasn't until we lambasted them for not going to war with us(and that we made fun of the italians before that), and that it all started around the "Freedom Fries" episode.........

The above quote is absolutely false, and is why I made this thread. It doesn't matter what you think about the French, Iraq War, Freedom Fries, Neo Cons, or the really lame South Park series premier. The fact is, that the French have consistently been the butt of surrender jokes to include periods before the Iraq War, not the Italians.

I stand by my post.

 

[Zyphlin]

It doesn't matter what you think about the French, Iraq War, Freedom Fries, Neo Cons, or the really lame South Park series premier.

Are you SURE that the series premier of South Park was lame?

 

[jallman]

I bought an authentic French rifle from the WW2 era on ebay. It was advertised as "never been fired but has been dropped twice".

Yeah, I don't care how you cut it; French surrender jokes are always fun and appropriate.

 

[Panache]

I bought an authentic French rifle from the WW2 era on ebay. It was advertised as "never been fired but has been dropped twice".

Yeah, I don't care how you cut it; French surrender jokes are always fun and appropriate.

Yeah, and they have been around a lot longer than "freedom fries."

 

[RightinNYC]

FWIW, although French surrender jokes are more common now, Italy had a loooooong history of getting their *** kicked a lot. France, Austria, and Spain took turns controlling Italy for 1500-1800. Didn't stop after that, as they got their asses kicked basically until the end of WWII.

Though they always managed to make a last minute switch somehow, and usually ended up gaining more land at the end of the war. :lol:

 

[bub]

FWIW, although French surrender jokes are more common now, Italy had a loooooong history of getting their *** kicked a lot. France, Austria, and Spain took turns controlling Italy for 1500-1800. Didn't stop after that, as they got their asses kicked basically until the end of WWII.

Though they always managed to make a last minute switch somehow, and usually ended up gaining more land at the end of the war. :lol:

Italian towns were very rich. Firenza, Milano, Venezia...each was too powerful to accept being only a part of a bigger country. Just like Greek towns 2500 years ago. That's why Italy has been invaded by Napoleon.

They fought well during the WWI.

As for WWII,
- unlike Germany, Italy was not an industrial power
- they were not fanatized
- their equipment was quite obsolete

And yet I would not say that "they sucked". 162,000 Italian soldiers have died from 1940 to 1943. That's not what I call "surrendering".


Same for France: 378,000 of them died in Verdun, where they have killed 330,000 Germans. That's not what I call being a *****.

 

[RightinNYC]

Italian towns were very rich. Firenza, Milano, Venezia...each was too powerful to accept being only a part of a bigger country. Just like Greek towns 2500 years ago. That's why Italy has been invaded by Napoleon.

They fought well during the WWI.

As for WWII,
- unlike Germany, Italy was not an industrial power
- they were not fanatized
- their equipment was quite obsolete

And yet I would not say that "they sucked". 162,000 Italian soldiers have died from 1940 to 1943. That's not what I call "surrendering".

After a debacle in Libya, Italy shifted their allegiance at the last minute in the run up to WWI due to British pressure and decided to become an ally.

Italy managed to defeat the Austrian-Hungarian Empire in November 1918, but only with the considerable help of French and British army divisions and the disintegration of the Austro-Hungarian Army. During the war, 600,000 Italians died and the economy collapsed with high inflation and unemployment.

In WWII, Italy refused to enter until 1940, when they were convinced that France was beaten and the war would shortly be over.

Italy invaded Greece in October 1940 via Albania but was forced to withdraw after a few months. After Italy conquered British Somalia in 1940, a counter-attack by the Allies led to the loss of the whole Italian empire in the Horn of Africa. Italy was also defeated by Allied forces in North Africa and was saved only by the German armed forces led by Erwin Rommel.

I'm italian and I love the country, but it doesn't have the best (recent) military history. Not that that really matters.

 

[mikhail]

Italy pretty much backs the side they see as most likely to win.France in modern times at least are seen as the surrenderers(is that a word).

 

[bub]

After a debacle in Libya, Italy shifted their allegiance at the last minute in the run up to WWI due to British pressure and decided to become an ally.



In WWII, Italy refused to enter until 1940, when they were convinced that France was beaten and the war would shortly be over.



I'm italian and I love the country, but it doesn't have the best (recent) military history. Not that that really matters.

I know but I'm not convinced that you can call them "******s", that's not very respectful towards those who have been killed and their families.

So, vacci piano but non te la prendere!

 

[Bergslagstroll]

How do you recognize a Belgian in a submarine? It's the one with a parachute

- Who has invented the first submarine? The Belgians, while trying to build an aircraft carrier

How do you sink a Norwegian sub? You go down with a scubadiver and knock on the hatch and they open and say hello.

How do you sink a Norwegian sub the second time? You go down with a scubadiver and knock on the hatch and they open and say hey we don't fall for the same trick twice.

 

[RightinNYC]

I know but I'm not convinced that you can call them "******s", that's not very respectful towards those who have been killed and their families.

So, vacci piano but non te la prendere!

I think that's fair, and I'll just note that I never called them ******s. :2wave:

 

[Hatuey]

Are we debating whether or not it's fun to make fun of the French? It is. France just needs to realize that this is just one more argument it will not win and surrender.

 

[partier9]

France lost WWI? I could have sworn they were on the winning side of that one, and even gained land back to boot.

The germans were about to take paris they were only a few miles outside of it. And the French army was in full retreat. Guess who saved the day? The Americans who had just arrived in europe held of the advancing german troops. Also France did't learn its lesson from WW1 in WW2 France fell the exact same way germany was able to invade in WW1, though they never got to paris. The french thinking that germany would attack directly built a giant wall of fortifications bewteen france and germany. So germany went through Belgium. Germany did it in both world wars and both times france had to retreat.

 

[bub]

The germans were about to take paris they were only a few miles outside of it. And the French army was in full retreat. Guess who saved the day? The Americans who had just arrived in europe held of the advancing german troops.

Ahahah!

You're talking about the Battle of the Marne ( First Battle of the Marne - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ) , which occured in 1914. US soldiers began to fight only in october 1917 ( 1st Infantry Division (United States) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia )

Looks like if France had to lose, they would have done it in 1914.

Also France did't learn its lesson from WW1 in WW2 France fell the exact same way germany was able to invade in WW1, though they never got to paris. The french thinking that germany would attack directly built a giant wall of fortifications bewteen france and germany. So germany went through Belgium. Germany did it in both world wars and both times france had to retreat.

What is interresting, is that the French (along with UK, but let's not talk about it since Blair supported the invasion of Iraq) have been kicked in 1940 because they did not believe that Germans panzers would pass through the Ardennes forests in Belgium.

Curiously, the same has happened in 1944-45, during the battle of the Bulge, with German panzers kicking the US army just like the French army in 1940. But since the US army was much better equiped and the Germans out of fuel, they have been stopped before they reached the North Sea and made a 2nd Dunkirk.

 

[Iriemon]

Well, it looks like the weight of public opinion is heavily against me here! I will accept the contention that French surrender jokes were made prior to Iraq.

However, I still maintain that jokes about the Italian military were more prevalent before then, and RightinNYC and others have noted as well. After all, the Italians surrendered in WWII also, and with few exceptions, their forces preformed unremarkably or poorly. Even against the French.

I am aware of two engagements between the Italians and French, for comparison purposes.

The first is in the SE of France along the French Italian border. Italy declared war against France in June 1940, after it was clear that the Germans were winning, perhaps to grab a little piece of French soil. The asked for help from the Germans, who told them they didn't need help (probably PO'ed they didn't join in sooner) and that the Italians could do what they wanted. Mussolini amassed 32 divisions against the 9 French defending the area.

Despite being heavily outnumbered in various areas, the Italians were unable to make any headway against the French in the 10 days of fighting before the armistice was signed.

Italy attacks France 1940 - World War II Forums

The second was in 1941 at the Battle of Koufra. A ragtag group of French forces attacked and defeated a larger Italian defensive position in Lybia.

Battle of Kufra (1941) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

After the French government succumbed, French force outside the continent or who had fled or escaped Nazi occupation formed Free French units, playing roles in North Africa and Western Europe, ultimately numbering 1.25 million men in arms. The US and Britain decided France was important enough to be given a spot in the victor's table and a big section of occupied Germany.

So why (and when) did France deserve the "surrender" moniker, and not Italy? How about Poland, Denmark, Belgium, Holland, Norway, Yugoslavia, or Greece? Surrender monkeys all. Why no jokes about those nations?

Or Germany. Surrendered in WWII, and surrendered to the allies including France, in France, in WWI!

Is it because France lost in Vietnam? What does that make the US?

So I don't see why the moniker particularly fits France. Maybe there were France surrender jokes before Iraq. I don't remember it, or vaguely and rarely. But after Iraq, there have been posts by neocons bashing France regularly and constantly.

So I'll modify my position from saying it didn't happen (a bit too absolute in any case) to say instead that France bashing has increased exponentially after the neocons got their nose out of joint in Iraq. If you deny that, you'll have to explain why we started having to eat "freedom fries."

 

[partier9]

Ahahah!

You're talking about the Battle of the Marne ( First Battle of the Marne - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ) , which occured in 1914. US soldiers began to fight only in october 1917 ( 1st Infantry Division (United States) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia )

Looks like if France had to lose, they would have done it in 1914.

I was talking about two different battles.

Though you are right, germany crossing belgium into france was the first battle of the marne.

::The First Battle of the Marne::

but the US saving france is a different battle in 1918. It was the german spring offensive. They advanced so fast that when 250,000 americans poured into the front, they couldn't hold them off.


::The German Spring Offensive of 1918::

At this time, American troops poured into the Western Front. By the end of March, 250,000 American troops had joined the conflict – Luderndorff’s worst planned for scenario. However, the impact of the Americans was hindered by the fact that the American General Pershing would not allow his troops to be commanded by either French or British officers.

What is interresting, is that the French (along with UK, but let's not talk about it since Blair supported the invasion of Iraq) have been kicked in 1940 because they did not believe that Germans panzers would pass through the Ardennes forests in Belgium.

Curiously, the same has happened in 1944-45, during the battle of the Bulge, with German panzers kicking the US army just like the French army in 1940. But since the US army was much better equiped and the Germans out of fuel, they have been stopped before they reached the North Sea and made a 2nd Dunkirk.

Battle of the Bulge

As the Allies attempted to penetrate across the western border of Germany in late 1944, the Germans tried one last gambit to reverse their fortunes. Operation “Watch on the Rhine” was intended to split British and U.S. forces in northern France. Attacking through the Ardennes Forest in eastern Belgium on December 16, hundreds of German tanks and several hundred thousand German troops broke through the thinly held American lines. Although the Germans advanced as much as 50 miles in some areas, the Ardennes offensive was short-lived. Despite taking dreadful losses, U.S. forces managed to delay the enemy sufficiently to permit reinforcements to be moved into position to halt the German drive. By December 26, it was clear that the German advance had been halted short of its objective, the Meuse River. In some sectors, such as the vital Elsenborn Ridge, German troops failed to make significant progress at all. On that same day, December 26, 1944, U.S. armored troops reached the beleaguered defenders of a vital road junction in the town of Bastogne.

In large part, it was the tenacious defense put up by American soldiers, fighting in small groups in sub-zero cold and snow that stopped the German advance. This was all the more remarkable since many of the U.S. units fighting in the Bulge had taken heavy casualties in the Hürtgen Forest fighting in the autumn of 1944.




After enlarging the corridor to Bastogne at the end of December, U.S. troops and some British troops counterattacked to eliminate the Bulge, with the U.S. First Army attacking from the north and General George Patton's Third Army from the south. In the face of increasing Allied pressure, the Germans began to withdraw from the Bulge on January 8, 1945. The 11th Armored Division, which was a part of the Third U.S. Army, joined forces with the 2nd Armored Division and the 84th Infantry Division of the First Army at Houffalize, Belgium, about 20 miles east northeast of St. Hubert, on January 16, 1945. The American advance continued, eliminating all German gains by the end of January 1945. Without halting, U.S. forces challenged the German defenses of the Siegfried Line, now undermanned after the heavy German losses during the Ardennes offensive. The Battle of Germany lay ahead.

During the Battle of the Bulge, the Germans suffered more than 100,000 casualties; the Americans approximately 81,000.

sounds so much like the french losing there own country. We didn't think that they would launched one because they hadn't launched a winter offensive in so long. Also Patton realized that germany might launch a winter offensive so he moblized his troops if anything happened.

 

[partier9]

So why (and when) did France deserve the "surrender" moniker, and not Italy? How about Poland, Denmark, Belgium, Holland, Norway, Yugoslavia, or Greece? Surrender monkeys all. Why no jokes about those nations?

Or Germany. Surrendered in WWII, and surrendered to the allies including France, in France, in WWI!

Well Germany did beat france in the franco prussian war. Also you are going by recent history. If you go back through history, Germany is one of the top fighting nations. Italy has been quite disfunctinal in the 20th century with the goverment weaking, and the rise in the mob. Its hard to fight wars when the mob is killing your judges.

Also um, didn't germany take france, on the verge of taking Britian, and it wasn't until the Americans entered, thet the allies really had a chance.