French weren't cowards (REALLY BIG LAUGH ALERT)

Chicago Sun-Times ^ | February 6, 2003 | Pan Demetrakakes

[Chi-townChief]

Now that France has emerged as a leading critic of U.S. policy toward Iraq, a lot of pundits and editorial cartoonists are having a field day lampooning France's ''cowardice'' and proclivity to ''surrender.'' The supposed evidence for this slur is France's defeat in World War II.

Why is that, exactly? No one would dream of sneering at Poland, Greece, Yugoslavia, Norway or any of the other nations overcome by Germany in the war. So what makes France fair game?

France's critics need to be aware of some historical facts. At the beginning of World War II, Germany possessed the world's most powerful army, led by some of the world's most brilliant commanders. When Germany launched its great assault on France in 1940, it had no worries in the East, having defeated Poland and concluded a non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union. Moreover, France was strategically handicapped by Holland's and Belgium's foolish insistence on neutrality--which Hitler blithely violated the moment it suited him.

By the time the Anglo-American forces reached France in 1944, Germany had been weakened by three years of savage warfare against Russia. Even so, the Allies barely managed to contain a German counteroffensive (the Battle of the Bulge). How much tougher do you think the German army was at the war's outset?

Those who carp about France's ''ingratitude'' never seem to remember that the United States could not have become a nation without France's help. At the very least, they should thank their lucky stars they didn't have to face the Wehrmacht in 1940.

Pan Demetrakakes,

St. Charles

letters@suntimes.com

[chnsmok]

How much of the French appeasement is due to their oil contracts with Iraq? Serious question.

[Rebelbase]

[MHT]

Sorry, France would never have been able to win WWI without British and ultimately American forces. They were able to bring about the stalemate in the trenches but they couldn't push back the German forces. In fact, our contribution to keeping France free, two times in 30 years, is one of the reasons that there are more US soldiers buried in French soil than any other foreign country.

[crazykatz]

Petain....it was he who signed the surrender to Hitler...in his eighties and really not "all there". He was a hero in WWI...but he was a faded on old man by 1940. Not really a coward.

I also think there were any number of French fascists in the French govt. as well...they were staunchly anti-communist and found hitler to be an ally against stalinists who were teeming in France by the thousands .

It is far more complicated than just calling the French cowards.

Another point, WWI bleed them dry....perhaps they were "war'd out".

The French are a proud people and they can be extremely pragmatic about ALL things.

[kcar]

"So why does France have veto-power in the UN Security Council?"

Why will Iraq lead a disarmament committee?

Why will Libya lead a Human Rights council?

Why does the land of the Bill of Rights kowtow to this unelected forum of socialists inventing "international" law?

Why?

[adakotab]

"For Sale: one French rifle, never fired, dropped once."

nice one...

[Lizard_King]

Thanks. I couldn't believe someone had the nerve to defend the French by slandering the Norwegians, Danes, Greeks, and Czechs.

GOP, I don't think anyone means any personal disrespect to particular French soldiers in history. But the fact is that France as a nation continues to ignore the precedents set by its own defeats and near-misses, and behave in a manner better suited to a child than an alleged world power.

Besides, I will never forgive the French, for one reason alone that erases all the good that may have come from them: The French Revolution was the crucible that made possible the ensuing centuries of Leftist discord, and will no doubt be traceable as the proverbial beginning of the end someday.

[gitmo]

OK. One battle in the 18th century.

[You Dirty Rats]

The Czechs were not even allowed to be in the meeting with Hitler, Mussolini, Chamberlain and Daladier. They were told by France and Britain, their "allies", that they had agreed to give up the Sudentenland to Germany. France even made it clear that if a war was fought, the Czechs would have to give up the land anyway.

The British and French then guaranteed the rest of the country, which they welshed on in March, 1939.

The Czechs had no chance of defeating Hitler on their own. To attack them for not defending themselves -- after their allies betrayed them -- is an even more indefensible position than the betrayal by the West.

In addition, the French tried to weasel out of their commitment to Poland in 1939. The British declared war and the French then followed -- with eight months of "phony war".

France fought bravely in WWI, but their record from 1935 onwards was disgraceful and indefensible.

[MHT]

It just hit me tonight how many times France has been allowed to share in the "spoils" of victory without being the decisive player in making that victory happen. In war, France is the "Me, Too" member of the "team".

Once this war is over and records are aired, it is going to be interesting to see the extent to which France has kept Iraq going these past ten years. Oil contracts, sanction violations, fighter jets, nuclear technology, chunnel-digging technology--not to mention lip service in diplomatic support of this lunatic.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

France: Invincible in Peace and Invisible in War.

[spitz]

The French would have quite happily handed their Navy over to the Nazi’s in North Africa. But, Adm Somerville arrived with Force H off the French Algerian base of Mers-el-Kebir and, after the French refused the options given them, opened fire on the anchored ships.

The French have never forgiven the British for that.

[altayann]

The French Revolution was the crucible that made possible the ensuing centuries of Leftist discord

A revolution that was based largely on the American revolution, as I recall. You know, liberty and all that stuff.

[altayann]

Strange that they would surrender to a nation that had conquered their country, but wouldn't to their allies.

The French naval commanders had no intention of surrending to anyone.

[Luis Gonzalez]

Mon Dieu!

Ze French? Cowards!

No! One thousand times no!

[dittomom]

[spitz]

They did at Alexandria. Adm Cunningham was able to reach agreement with Adm Godfrey on the demilitarisation of the battleship "Lorraine", four cruisers and a number of smaller ships.

[LibertarianInExile]

Everyone sneers at Poland. If you can't sneer at 'modern' Greece, who can you sneer at? That's the basis of 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding!' Which Yugoslavia do I sneer at, part A, B, C, or D, or all of the above? And Norway? Um, Quisling...who lets a guy named Quisling run a country? It's as if we elected Kool Moe Dee president. Belgium? The country of chocolates and self-described 'Low Country?' Luxembourg? Where's that again? The Netherlands...sounds kinda dirty if you ask me. Latvia? Wasn't the guy on Taxi from there? Romania--Ceaucescu, nuff said. Hungary is a country named after a stomachache. And Czechoslovakia?!?! Gesundheit!

If I left anyone out, it's probably because they were too small or poor to waste a whole sneer on. Somebody had to sneer at all these countries, though, if just to prove this idiot wrong.

But I REALLY sneer at the French. Not because of their cowardice in the face of German oppressors. Not because the term 'the unwashed masses' originally applied to their population. Not because DeGaulle EXPECTED our help, and decided he didn't need to help us in return during the Cold War.

No, I sneer at them because they think their culture superior, when their contribution to food is limited to putting sauce on stuff and/or renaming it something funny, their contribution to art is making it fuzzy and starting us on the downhill road to 'modern art,' their contribution to architecture is a steel framework, their contribution to music is Frere Jacques, and their contribution to movies is sustaining Jerry Lewis' career and making Catherine Deneuve get naked again.

Okay, maybe that last part is worth considering, but before anyone tries to dispute me with the wonder that is the national anthem of the French, La Marseillaise is the sauce you put on Eggs Benedict, not a 'stirring anthem.' The only thing that song stirs in me is an eagerness to edit Victor Lazlo out of Casablanca.

[ExpandNATO]

A revolution that was based largely on the American revolution, as I recall. You know, liberty and all that stuff.

Good, you can point out where the American War of Independence involved: blowing Catholic priests off cannon, conducting a massacre of Catholics just for being Catholics (Vendee region of France), converting Christian churches to worship the goddess of Reason, inflicting something like the Terror of Robespierre. In short, behaving much more like the Communists of Russia than Englishmen whose rights were being violated.

[Mike Darancette]

French weren't cowards.

Their leaders were, and still are.