Knocking the French: Why?

NavySEALs.com ^ | July 30, 2006 | W. Thomas Smith Jr.

[SuzyQ2]

But we Americans seem to have short memories.

What else could explain the fact that we, generally speaking, so-often lambaste the French, calling them “cowards” for not allying themselves fully with us in every instance? We constantly throw in their faces the fact that we came to their rescue in World Wars I and II. And we’ve all heard the jokes: “Surplus French military rifles for sale. Never fired. Dropped once.”

[billhilly]

One Frenchman?

[Ninian Dryhope]

"We constantly throw in their faces the fact that we came to their rescue in World Wars I and II."

Only because we bring it up every time they hand us a ration of $hit, and they try to do that to us constantly.

[SuzyQ2]

"But what about the great men with names like Lafayette, Rochambeau, d’ Estaing, DeGrasse, L’Enfant, La Rouërie, even Johann Baron de Kalb, a Bavarian born soldier who held a commission in the French Army ... "

[Fresh Wind]

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

Knocking the French: Why?

I give up! Oh, wait, that's their line.

[Darth Republican]

Are any of them still living?

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Knocking the French: Why?

In my case it is a family tradition.

400 years ago the french were our allies. We fought beside them in their wars. Peace came and then the enemy came after us. The french decided that it would be more economically advantageous to let us be slaughtered. We were.

In 400 years they show no signs of improvement.

[righttackle44]

"Knocking the French: Why?"

Because they don't knock themselves, and
they deserve it more than we do.

[GSlob]

A learned physician Girolamo Fracastoro [who started a theory of infectious diseases] wrote in 1530 a book entitled "Syphilis sive Morbus Gallicus" [i.e. "Syphilis or the French Disease"]. Francesco Guicciardini, a noted thinker and historian, about the same time characterized the French as "being beastly and unreasonable". Since such was their nature even as far ago as 1530, it would not be right to attribute their ill repute to the "Americans having short memories", despite the fact that there were no Americans in 1530.

[Mr.Smorch]

I don't know, the French just seem to have split personalities...

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

MARK TWAIN had the French pegged!

In certain public indecencies the difference between a dog & a Frenchman is not perceptible.
- Notebook #17, October 1878 - February 1879

It appears that at last census that every man in France over 16 years of age & under 116, has at least 1 wife to whom he has never been married. French novels, talk, drama & newspaper bring daily & overwhelming proofs that the most of the married ladies have paramours. This makes a good deal of what we call crime, and the French call sociability.
- Notebook #18, Feb.- Sept. 1879

French are the connecting link between man & the monkey.
- Notebook #18, Feb.- Sept. 1879

Trivial Americans go to Paris when they die.
- Notebook #18, Feb.- Sept. 1879

It is the language for lying compliment, for illicit love & for the conveying of exquisitely nice shades of meaning in bright graceful & trivial conversations--the conveying, especially of double-meanings, a decent & indecent one so blended as--nudity thinly veiled, but gauzily & lovelily.
- Notebook #18, Feb.- Sept. 1879

...anywhere is better than Paris. Paris the cold, Paris the drizzly, Paris the rainy, Paris the damnable. More than a hundred years ago somebody asked Quin, "Did you ever see such a winter in all your life before?" "Yes," said he, "Last summer." I judge he spent his summer in Paris. Let us change the proverb; Let us say all bad Americans go to Paris when they die. No, let us not say it for this adds a new horror to Immortality.
- letter to Lucius Fairchild, 28 April 1880, reprinted in Mark Twain, The Letter Writer

An isolated & helpless young girl is perfectly safe from insult by a Frenchman, if he is dead.
- Notebook #20, Jan. 1882 - Feb. 1883

A dead Frenchman has many good qualities, many things to recommend him; many attractions--even innocencies. Why cannot we have more of these?
- Notebook #20, Jan. 1882 - Feb. 1883

[darkwing104]

Why not?

[GoMonster]

Always have good guns to buy from their military. Never fired and only dropped once.

[kingu]

It's always entertaining when you have to go back more than two centuries to find honorable French soldiers.

Seriously, the impression that the French gave that they want the Americans to butt out of everything because only they have the correct answer - oh, and by the way, could you expand your base?

So, yeah, I can easily find lots of people who live in France to call friend, and have as well. But their just as hateful of the insane socialists that are working to destroy not only their country, but the entire demi-state of Europe.

Oh, and we're still pissed about their refusing overflight rights to attack Libya.

[Bob]

You can always count on the French to be there when they need you.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

"In 400 years they show no signs of improvement."

la Legion was respectable.....mostly foreigners, though. Haven't heard a thing about it for years.....since 1976 or 77, when they pulled some expats out of Zaire when the Katangese rebels returned from Angola.

[ARealMothersSonForever]

Because it is fun, and a long running tradition.

[southernnorthcarolina]

Have the French surrendered in the Mideast yet?

Because, as we all know, it's not a World War until the French surrender.

[albee]

""Knocking the French: Why?"

Because they are arrogant and have nothing to be arrogant about!

The sooner they sink into the Third World category (and they are nearly there now), the better!

[thomaswest]

Actually, the USA would not exist today if France hadn't helped us in the Revolutionary War. The Colonists were not doing very well against Britain's army, and George Washington, for all his virtures, was not a gifted general. The Colonists would surely have been defeated at Yorktown by the British Navy if France had not sent their fleet to block the British.

Because of the French, the Colonists won at Yorktown, and the British surrendered.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Knocking the French: Do it early, do it often.

[SauronOfMordor]

400 years ago the french were our allies. We fought beside them in their wars.

Correction: 400 years ago the French Monarchy and Aristocracy were our allies. Subsequent to their being killed or driven out during the French Revolution, the remaining French do not seem to have been worth much

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Q: How are Frenchmen like billiard balls?

A: The harder you hit them, the more English you'll get.

[HangnJudge]

[snowman1]

You get away from Paris and the people are marvelous, Parisians are a different story. They are rude and don't get caught in an elevator with a bunch of them. I speak very good french and when they found out I was an American their whole attitude changed. I lived there for 5yrs. when I worked for Rockwell International.

[BlueJ7]

Because Pepe Le Pew always chasing that poor little pussy cat!

[grunt03]

Why bust on the French? Because they're French.

[Man50D]

France has neither winter nor summer nor morals. Apart from these drawbacks it is a fine country. France has usually been governed by prostitutes." Mark Twain.

"I would rather have a German division in front of me than a French one behind me." General George S. Patton.

"Going to war without France is like going deer hunting without your accordion." Norman Schwartzkopf.

"We can stand here like the French, or we can do something about it." Marge Simpson

"As far as I'm concerned, war always means failure" Jacques Chirac, President of France

"As far as France is concerned, you're right." Rush Limbaugh,

"The only time France wants us to go to war is when the German Army is sitting in Paris sipping coffee." Regis Philbin

"The French are a smallish, monkey-looking bunch and not dressed any better, on average, than the citizens of Baltimore. True, you can sit outside in Paris and drink little cups of coffee, but why this is more stylish than sitting inside and drinking large glasses of whisky I don't know." P.J O'Rourke (1989).

"You know, the French remind me a little bit of an aging actress of the 1940s who was still trying to dine out on her looks but doesn't have the face for it." John McCain, U.S. Senator from Arizona.

"You know why the French don't want to bomb Saddam Hussein? Because he hates America, he loves mistresses and wears a beret. He is French, people!" Conan O'Brien

"I don't know why people are surprised that France won't help us get Saddam out of Iraq. After all, France wouldn't help us get Hitler out of France either" Jay Leno.

"The last time the French asked for 'more proof' it came marching into Paris under a German flag." David Letterman

Only thing worse than a Frenchman is a Frenchman who lives in Canada. Ted Nugent.

War without France would be like ... uh ... World War II. The favorite bumper sticker in Washington now is one that says 'First Iraq, then France.'" Tom Brokaw.

"What do you expect from a culture and a nation that exerted more of its national will fighting against DisneyWorld and Big Macs than the Nazis?" Dennis Miller.

"It is important to remember that the French have always been there when they needed us." Alan Kent

"They've taken their own precautions against al-Qa'ida. To prepare for an attack, each Frenchman is urged to keep duct tape, a white flag, and a three-day supply of mistresses in the house." Argus Hamilton

"Somebody was telling me about the French Army rifle that was being advertised on eBay the other day -- the description was, 'Never shot. Dropped once.'" Rep. Roy Blunt (MO)

"The French will only agree to go to war when we've proven we've found truffles in Iraq." Dennis Miller

Raise your right hand if you like the French .. raise both hands if you are French.

Q. What did the mayor of Paris say to the German Army as they entered the city in WWII? A. Table for 100,000 m'sieur?

"Do you know how many Frenchmen it takes to defend Paris? It's not known, it's never been tried." Rep. R. Blount (MO)

"Do you know it only took Germany three days to conquer Francein WWII? And that's because it was raining." John Xereas, Manager, DC Improv.

The AP and UPI reported that the French Government announced after the London bombings that it has raised its terror alert level from Run to Hide. The only two higher levels in France are Surrender and Collaborate. The rise in the alert level was precipitated by a recent fire which destroyed France's white flag factory, effectively disabling their military.

French Ban Fireworks at Euro Disney (AP), Paris, March 5, 2003 The French Government announced today that it is imposing a ban on the use of fireworks at Euro Disney. The decision comes the day after a nightly fireworks display at the park, located just 30 miles outside of Paris, caused the soldiers at a nearby French Army garrison to surrender to a group of Czech tourists.

[prisoner6]

I've endured several Fine French Touring Automobiles...aka lawn ornamnents, aka homes of some of Mom Natures less fortunate creatures. That qualifies me to bust frenchy-frecnhman's chops for generations.

prisoner6

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

They weren't worth anything then either.

Doesn't matter what government they have. The french will leave you high and dry the first chance they get.

Anyone remember the XYZ Affair?

[Sue Perkick]

Knocking the French: Why?

They make it so easy?

I heard that somewhere. ;)

[satchmodog9]

There is a difference between Paris and the rest of France when it comes to attitude.

[GeronL]

Isn't the French accusing Floyd Landis of having too much testosterone in his body???

There is one French joke right there.

[REDWOOD99]

Maybe we're just sick of the French opposing us at every turn.

[G. Stolyarov II]

"You go to France with a smattering of the language and try to connect: then are greeted with attitude. Instead of being helpful and meeting you halfway on the language, they ridicule."

Indeed. When I visited Paris and tried to ask various street vendors, "Parlez-vous anglais?" in order that I might purchase a drink from them, I often received the response, "Maybe," in English! The vendors were being deliberately ambiguous about their ability to communicate in a way that was convenient for me-- even though they could easily oblige. Most of them knew the English language quite well, but they would speak it only with great reluctance; furthermore, they seemed to hold those who could speak English but not French in contempt.

I am
G. Stolyarov II
http://www.panasianbiz.com
http://www.thebizofknowledge.com
http://www.zhonghuarising.com
http://www.risingsunofnihon.com
http://rationalargumentator.com

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

[billhilly]

What about them? Where are they?

Now that you mention it, what about Americans like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin?

We live in a different world. It does not embrace us. In fact, it loathes us. Why? Because we made it and they didn't.

What have you done for me lately not only reflects the mentality of welfare state America, but pathetic countries whose leaders dine on American foreign largesse while they diss us, to use a phrase that you may be familiar with.

[cripplecreek]

My grandfather returned from WWII Europe with an odd mixture of disgust and respect for the french.

His respect was for the French resistance who he called some of the bravest people (men women and children) he ever encountered.

His disgust was for the french who saved themselves by feeding those most in need of protection to the nazi crocodile.

[the final gentleman]

France?

Isn't that a third world country that is run by Muslims who burn car?

Shame.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

They were not helping the USA they were sticking their finger in Britain's eye. Different thing entirely.

[melt]

Why? Because the French are the only nation on Earth to actually embed their entire Military History into their own name: F"ran"ce.

[kenavi]

We should not forget Alexis De Tocqueville who wrote "Democracy in America" in 1831. Here was a French aristocrat who expressed admiration for our truly free society, where people took the initiative to band together and govern themselves. In comparison, 30 years later the Brits were still trying to break us up by supporting the Confederacy.

[mrsmith]

" the USA would not exist today if France hadn't helped us in the Revolutionary War."

And we wouldn't exist if Napoleon had defeated the British...

People forget the first country the United States went to war with was...

France!

[Sam Cree]

Nice article.

My dad was a combat infantryman during WWII, saw alot of battles, from the first wave at Normandy to the Bulge in the Ardennes. At one time his unit fought alongside the French Deuxieme division. He rated them as excellent soldiers.

I spent some time in France some years ago and thought well of the French for the most part. Yes, they can be arrogant, but they can be very real and worthwhile as well.

[Candor7]

Knocking the French: Why? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Because French politicians micromanage their military. Most French politicians are closet Vichy in the face of an enemy.

Of course after a hundred of this political approach, French soldiers do not trust their government, making them unreliable.

That is why Rummy said going to war with the French as allies is like going deer hunting with an accordian player. Sad but true.

That is why we make fun of them.And they deserve it.

[hodaka]

Because they are obnoxious, and they smell real bad. I also have a French last name, but I was born in Georgia.

[ansel12]

Personally my experiences in France were good, and I respect and warmly regard their Special Forces soldiers.


If any Frenchmen get on this thread, can you help me identify what Army unit is stationed outside Lyon?

I spent a night with that unit and the next day in their bar they were showing me paintings of their unit in America during the Revolution, but I can't look up their history without knowing who they are (I don't remember).

[Boss_Jim_Gettys]