Why the disdain for the French military?

[Sylvain]

it doesnt look like this guy has spent too much time in fancy track suits.

i dont have any beef w/ the french miltary. ive never worked with them. i dont much care for france itself though.

lol this french Légionnaire looks badass.I dont think anyone ever told him that the french military sucks.You only see that over the internet.

 

[DocBoCook]

Name one central European country that would have done better against the Wehrmacht at that time.

Challenge Accepted!

Switzerland

 

[22lr]

Name one central European country that would have done better against the Wehrmacht at that time.

Probably none of them. Hitler diverting bombers away from the bombing of British airfields is probably the only reason there is even an England today. Their track record of ground engagement with Germany was almost as bad as the French, they only lasted since they were not a neighboring country. But the fact that a sovereign country with a military only matched by 3-4 other nations at the time only lasted 17 days is despicable.

A single American division under very similar circumstances was able to hold out for months, inflict massive casualties on the Germans and hold the position against all odds. I am of course referring to the 101st Airborne and Bastone. Outnumbered, outgunned, no air support, and no resupply yet they held the line. All because they used their brain and weren't screwed over by the commanders. The French are very capable of fighting, but its like General Patton said "I would rather have a German division in front of me than a French one behind me." They might have had the will to fight, but there is little to no evidence to suggest the French generals had that same will.

 

[NYFelon]

lmao.

Only because they were busy processing blood money.

 

[Sylvain]

Challenge Accepted!

Switzerland

That's not a country, that's a bank.
You dont attack your own bank when it keeps your money safe.
Of course officialy they never kept the gold of Nazi Germany safe in their vaults.

 

[DocBoCook]

lmao.

Only because they were busy processing blood money.

And that every able bodied citizen is a rifleman with the best military weapons available in their homes or with them at all times.

 

[DocBoCook]

That's not a country, that's a bank.
You dont attack your own bank when it keeps your money safe.
Of course officialy they never kept the gold of Nazi Germany safe in their vaults.

You simply asked who would have done better, and they would have.

 

[ihateiraq]

And that every able bodied citizen is a rifleman with the best military weapons available in their homes or with them at all times.

the best military small arms available in their homes or with them at all times. the swiss probably wouldnt have fared much better against tanks and aircraft than the french did.

 

[adam]

Name one central European country that would have done better against the Wehrmacht at that time.

Finland could've lasted more that 17 days.

 

[22lr]

the best military small arms available in their homes or with them at all times. the swiss probably wouldnt have fared much better against tanks and aircraft than the french did.

Infantry without air and tank support = target practice for airplanes and tanks.

 

[PatriotPride]

Finland could've lasted more that 17 days.

True, but they were a bit too friendly with the Nazis IMO. They did hold their own against the Soviets though.

 

[adam]

True, but they were a bit too friendly with the Nazis IMO. They did hold their own against the Soviets though.

I agree, but the Allies kind of cold shouldered them when Russia invaded, and "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" probably applied there afterwards.

 

[Bunnykid68]

because they have that horrible pretentious accent

 

[PatriotPride]

I agree, but the Allies kind of cold shouldered them when Russia invaded, and "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" probably applied there afterwards.

They are a unique case. They were a Democracy, but were not technically a member of the Axis powers as they didn't sign the treaty (the exact name escapes me). They DID make extreme efforts to keep their military under national control and not that of the Nazi's.

 

[Sylvain]

because they have that horrible pretentious accent

LOL

You will learn that ladies like the french accent.
I got some free drinks in restaurants here in the US just because I ordered with a french accent.True story.

Of course guys call it "pretentious" but we all know its jealousy speaking.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Name one central European country that would have done better against the Wehrmacht at that time.

The Swiss

 

[edsinger]

His BS? De Gaulle did the good thing by dropping out of NATO.He wanted France to be protected by its own forces and not only by NATO.He created the French nuclear programm who made France the third nuclear power in the world (after the US and Russia).

What? France has not protected itself for 100 Years! WTF?

So they decided to snub the West, give the USSR a propaganda boost by dropping out of NATO. The US was the ONLY one that could have held the USSR back at that time and any time until the wall fell. It was a snub.

If you think you understand this then fine but do a little research on the EF2000 and the Rafale....its classic French arrogance! This was the same thing they did dropping out of NATO command structure.

it doesnt look like this guy has spent too much time in fancy track suits.

i dont have any beef w/ the french miltary. ive never worked with them. i dont much care for france itself though.

Well all I have to say is this, the French Foreign Legion are some bad arse SOB's....Keep in mind one thing, most of them are NOT French.

Challenge Accepted!

Switzerland

That is not even laughable. Nobody would have invaded the swiss. Why? Why screw your credit line? You going to hold some mountains? What good would it have done? That is why no one has ever invaded the Swiss. The Swiss play both sides of the game.

But the honorable mention of the Finns was nice. Naive but nice.

 

[littletommy]

I absolutely LOVE creme brulee, i think that's French, so they can't be all bad.

 

[badwolf.usmc]

The US & France did fight a war in 1798-1800:

https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Quasi-War

 

[Sylvain]

The US & France did fight a war in 1798-1800:

https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Quasi-War

This was a war against the 1st French Republic, not the actual 5th Republic.
Napoléon wanted to fight everybody that doesnt count.