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Somewhat unrelated, but to build on your point: the "ineffectiveness" of the French military is largely a myth as well. Their battle record over their history i
by ckozlowski 12y ago
Somewhat unrelated, but to build on your point: the "ineffectiveness" of the French military is largely a myth as well. Their battle record over their history is quite exemplary, punctuated with the same smattering of grand victories and crushing defeats that all of it's contemporary European neighbors have had to suffer and endure as well. All together, their effectiveness skews far more towards the exceptional, and I'd argue that the stereotype of "retreating French" is largely born of the misconceptions surrounding their strategic collapse in 1940. It is that one event I'd argue that fuels the jokes.
- panzagl 12y agoThe French lost every major European War they entered between 1757 and 1914 (ok, we'll call the Crimean War a draw), and only survived 1914 and 1940 because of it's allies. And the real blow to French reputation was 1870, when French arrogance was at its height and efficiency at its lowest.
- ska 12y agoCharacterizing the loss of the Napoleonic wars as a reflection of french military ineffectiveness is inept at best.
- panzagl 12y agoActually, the Napoleonic wars highlight the very essence of the French military tradition in the modern age- tactical and operational competence (and even brilliance) pushed by arrogance beyond the limits of what is militarily possible. Though I agree that this has no reflection on the character of the individual French soldier.
- deleted 12y ago[deleted]