France vs USA...?

Question

Here's some food for thought: France is possibly the ONLY European power not to have had a war against the USA, ever! (England did two times, Spain as well, also Italy, Germany, and strong antagonism against Russia...)
Also, France has helped USA become independent & exchanged many ideas during the revolutionary period (Bill of rights & French Rights of Man were created on same year! 1789)
So why is it that USA has so much antagonism against France?!

hating the French for the coward behavior is nuts! aside from fighting a war for 100 years (100!!) vs the british, and having acheived the best fighting force during the Napoleonic wars and thus changing the face of Europe & the world, to loosing millions in order to stop the germans in WWI, to having colonized half of the world for 200 yrs, to having the killer "foreign legionnaires" force... saying that they're coward is nuts. I haven't heard any reports saying that they're pulling out of Afghanistan, and if so, why should they be vilified for it? Italy & Spain did it in Iraq, and we don't hear a general discontent against them... Is it possible that there is a -hidden- race & competition between France & USA? Please don't think that I'm Francophile!: I'm Tunisian, a "victim" of their 100 yrs colonization, but even then, there is no hate against the French as much as I am switnessing in USA! ... all of this is strange...

Answer 1

I'm French, I found this question when I was (with indiscretion ;-) ) looking at what american people on Yahoo Answers thought about us.
First, please excuse me if I make mistakes, I've only studied english at school, so I don't speak perfectly this language.
Then I must say that I laughed when I see some answers. The one concerning the US revolution, because in France we learn that most of the ideas developped in this time were inspired by French philosophers (Voltaire, Montesquieu ) So it's quite interesting to see the differences between what is said in French school and in Us schools.
Concerning World War II, it's exact that the American helped us. But it also true that the Soviet helped us too... They freed a great part of France. There were also cities freed by members of the Resistance. So they were lots of people involved. Yet, thank you for the help ;-)
It's quite unfair to say that France never helped the USA. Without talking of your Revolution, think about Iraq War... Was it a good idea? And French told the US that it wasn't...
I will not answer the accusation of cowardness. Just open a book of French History, you'll see that we are not. But we think that there are other way than killing people to "free" them.

When you are insulted of ... what? Oh, yes, bunch of vaginas, the best way is to not answer. The one who is saying that is degrading himself, no comment...

To finish, I'd like to thank the Francophile here :-) I'm sure that without prejudice, communication is possible between France and USA :-D


Edit: Fortunaletely, their is not only the Légion Etrangère in the French army :-D There are about 8500 soldiers , while the French Army is constituted of 350000 persons.

Answer 2

The French and the Americans have always had a love hate relationship. Even in the American Revolution the French Army Commanders would not listen to anything that George Washington Said that he wanted to get done until Yorktown.
After both countries revolutions Washington Expelled the French Consul in Charleston SC for trying get American Ports to Accept French Prizes. We Fought the Quasi-War with France in1802 and bristled when France tried to keep the US from Trading with England during the Napoleonic Wars.

The US tried to sue the two great European powers for aid given to the Confederacy in the Civil War and traded with Prussia during the Franco Prussia War. We withdrew our people from France in 1914 and made them pay through the nose to buy war goods .

The French are not cowards they are a country with a long tradition who has believed that they have a rigth to tell the US what to do . Having been to France I can say that the way that they feel deep down about the US can be seen in the way that they care for the four graveyards that honor the American soldiers who died in France. They care for the grave with a little help in money from the US Government and from Veterans and their families that visit there each year.

Answer 3

The French and the Indians had a war against us. France had been for France since 1790. They have little regard for anyone except themselves. We very definitely saved their bacon in WWII. After we and the English ran the German out, DeGualle came back and declared a triumph for the French. After the war American properties were seized and Americans were swindled out of belongings and money. I saw it. It is not history, it is not supposition. I lived there.

Answer 4

we can care less about france. It is france that has issues with america. They cannot accept the fact they are no longer relevant to world politics and instead try to influence countries in Africa and the carribbean. I may like to point out also it is France's fault America even went to Vietnam. They Frence were defeated and asked for american assistance to prevent the spread of communism to the south. In america we can care less if you mock out leaders (we do the same) but to claim to be an ally and then back out when needed (in fact the french just announched they are withdrawing their special forces from afghanistan because resistance is getting stiffer...are you serious?!). that to me is a sign of sheer cowardice

Answer 5

you are correct; I've been trying to make those very points these last few years.

I think the hostility is in part due to the growing intolerance for other ways of thinking. Here in the US, Conservatives will call you 'traitors' if you disagree with them. Since France spoke against Bush's wars, they are also dragged through the mud.

NOTE TO DREW: The French and Indian War (part of the Seven Years War) was between France and Britain.

Answer 6

I think the apparent antagonism between France & USA is played out. I actually had a colleague of mine, who was born and raised in France, tell me that yes, French people in general like to have the appearance of superiority of Americans (snobbery) and the American culture, but yet they privately and truly enjoy all things American...sports, fast food, American pop culture, etc.

Answer 7

Huh? Did you forget about the French/Indian War?

The French Indian War started in North America and is the only occurance where George Washington surrendered. And he surrendered to the French.

And the reason that there is so much angst towards France is because we never get any help from them on anything. And those ideas that we exchanged lead to the development of the French Revolution and them writing their own constitution.

Answer 8

Well, I do not subscribe to the recent anti-French reasoning, but there are grievances, though. First; unlike, say, the Italians, the French will not admit to being poor fighters, in national combat. Two; the French keep sending us pseudo-intellectuals, such as Foucault, Derrida, Lacan and many others, who have infested our social science and humanities departments with utter nonsense.

Answer 9

Because of the way France has treated us. I was there. My grandparents are from there. The French do no realize, anymore that they are not preeminent. They do not believe that they are no bigger then the state of Texas. French used to be the international language. Now it is English. We have not antagonism. They do.

Answer 10

Becuase 'Muricans hate seeing critiscism of their Prez. Its an insecurity thing. On the subject of France, after they get the surrender jokes out of the way they will invariably mention world war II and how 'They' saved Europe.

The fact that most of the US's military was in the Pacific at the time and that World War II would have been lost even with Americas help had Hitler not brought the Soviet Union into the war by breaking his pact with Stalin is completely lost on them.

Hell 'stalin to a 'murican is what you call your sweetie.