Apart from Iraq, what on Earth did the French do?

[Fox on the Run]

Yes, it's me the naive Aussie again.

The last message from my last post on imperial measurements said "the french developed the metric system, and that in and of itself is reason enough not to use it"

This question probably sounds very naive, but what did the French do except disagree with Bush over Iraq?

After all, Jefferson's ideas of a free, liberal, independent America were derived almost entirely from French liberalism (Voltaire, Montesquieu)

Washington's men were supported big time by the French(and to a lesser extent, by the Spaniards). In fact, many historians believe Washington couldn't have beaten the British without French weapons.

Even the Stars and Stripes are in the French colours!!!

Even one of your states is named after a French king, not to mention who gave you the Statue of Liberty.

You can even thank the French for driving on the right hand side of the road (to us Aussies' great annoyance)

From an outsider's perspective, the US historically seems to owe France a lot for being the country it is today

So, apart from Iraq, what did the French do?

PS: I am not French. Thanks to their nuclear tests in the Pacific, we're not to keen on the French either down here. But the US' attitude to France recently has me confused nonetheless.

[irishtenor]

They eat snails.

[Paul Atreides]

You signed up tomorrow to ask this?

[NicknamedBob]

"...Even the Stars and Stripes are in the French colours!!!"

They are the same colors as the Union Jack, as well. Half the countries in the world use red, white, and blue.

P.S. You spelled colors wrong. And what's wrong with driving on the right side of the road? Check out Ben Hur, that's the way the Romans did it!

We could not have won in 1776 without the French Navy, certainly. Actually, it's the ingratitude we've gotten from the French in recent memory that, um, Gauls us. Their intransigence in Gulf war two is not unprecedented. Khadaffi was in the news recently. The last time we sent him a message, we had to fly around France.

We gave the French a message once, "LaFayette, nous sommes arrivee." Somehow, I don't think they were listening.

[mrsmith]

Quasi-war:
They were the first country the United States of America fought a war with.

Barbary Wars:
Allegedly, they caused so much trouble to us with the Bey of Tripoli that, before we went to war with them, our legatee in Algiers had the French ambassador to Algiers publicly horsewhipped.

It's never been a smooth relationship.

[Billthedrill]

Well, the Statue of Liberty was originally intended for the Suez canal, not New York harbor. But it was a nice thought.

Aside from Iraq there was the withdrawal from NATO, the force de frappe, their sterling moral support after handing us the leaking bag of garbage that was Vietnam, and the intellectual takeover of feckless and naive American universities in the persons of Sartre, Derrida, Foucault, and Baudrillard.

And they complain about Mickey Mouse and McDonald's...harrumph!

[tapatio]

Absolutely nothing!That is what the French are good at!

[Live free or die]

Jefferson's ideas of a free, liberal, independent America were derived almost entirely from French liberalism (Voltaire, Montesquieu)

I think its more telling that the French still haven't really developed a state like the one you're talking about while we in the anglosphere have. What's more there's plenty of argument to show that ours is a system originated by Hobbes and/or Locke (Englishmen).

Washington's men were supported big time by the French(and to a lesser extent, by the Spaniards). In fact, many historians believe Washington couldn't have beaten the British without French weapons.

The French did it to spite their enemies. Besides, the France that helped us was violently destroyed in 1789.

From an outsider's perspective, the US historically seems to owe France a lot for being the country it is today

I think the recent willingness of the French to forget their masculinity is the main objection that I have.

[NicknamedBob]

"...Jefferson's ideas of a free, liberal, independent America were derived almost entirely from French liberalism (Voltaire, Montesquieu)..."

Jefferson was much more widely read than that. A lot of Scottish philosophers too, as well as Greek and Roman.

The real Francophile was Bejamin Franklin. He spent a lot of time in France, and we as a nation should be glad he did. But even he was sensible enough to appreciate the French Ladies, more than the French philosophy.

[Cautor]

The native French (about 10% of them are now mohammadans anyway) are a bunch of anti-semitic cowards who'd rather surrender to the Nazis than fight. Their culture is decadent, and their productivity is moribund thanks to the unions that run their country. They're "old Europe" now, but soon to be third world. They screwed themselves but good, and I love it.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

From an outsider's perspective, the US historically seems to owe France a lot for being the country it is today

So I guess all the Americans killed and US dollars spent saving them in WW I, WW II, and the Cold War wasn't enough.

[Snuffington]

This question probably sounds very naive, but what did the French do except disagree with Bush over Iraq?

Their waiters were rude to us, and they pretended not to understand English, EVEN WHEN WE TALKED VERY LOUDLY AND SLOWLY. Plus they renamed the "Quarter pounder with cheese." And did not show proper respect for Mickey Mouse at Euro-Disney.

Need I go on?! They're Gallic monsters!

And don't get me started on Canadians.

[discostu]

They failed to be able to defend themselves against Germany thus forcing us to come bail their sorry butts out... twice
They sold us the Viet Nam war
They refused to let us fly over their air space to bomb Lybia (a bombing BTW which directly ended Khadafi's use of terrorism against America and was the first step on the path to his recent abandoning of his nuclear program)
And they talk down to us constantly

[NicknamedBob]

Bejamin Franklin = Benjamin Franklin

I could have checked the spelling, but those bills are hard to come by.

[Texasforever]

They smell funny.

[mhking]

So, apart from Iraq, what did the French do?

Surrender.

Just damn.

If you want on the list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[cardinal4]

Vichy France.

[Snuffington]

I think its more telling that the French still haven't really developed a state like the one you're talking about while we in the anglosphere have. What's more there's plenty of argument to show that ours is a system originated by Hobbes and/or Locke (Englishmen).

You might be interested in this thread.

[katz]

Who cares? You are either with us or not.