Why is there a myth about the French being cowards?

Question

they have won dozens of wars, napoleon was a great leader and only got defeated once the all of europe and russia were banded together against one country, they lost hundreds of thousands of men in world war one(verdun they lost about half a million i believe) and held the line still, and in world war 2 they couldnt defend themselves since belgium didn't warn them soon enough that the germans were blitzing through the north around the french defense. and please if you answer have an intelligent argument

Answer 1

The French fought bravely for many wars from the early times of colonization, during the Napoleonic years, World War 1 and World War 2. They did not participate in the recent wars and it is the only reason that they are called cowards.

Answer 2

In the last hundred years, the French has pretty much every war they have fought. In WW1 they would have lost if the US didnt bail their *** out. WW2 they are the only major power to surrender to Nazi Germany, and worse, collaborate. They lost in Vietnam, and they ran away in the Suzi canal crisis. But i think the main reason why there is a myth saying the French are cowards is because they didnt resist to Nazi German's rule in WW2

Answer 3

Americans are still so ashamed at been beaten by peasant farmers in Vietnam that they like to point the finger at someone else.
We all remember the TV pictures of the panic stricken americans being airlifted off the roof of the American embassy in Saigon as the NVA closed in on them leaving their South Vietnamese allies to suffer the consequences.
Perhaps we will see the same sort of thing in Iraq.

Answer 4

The only wars they could win are the ones where the soldiers stand up and slap each other with silk (not too hard) handkerchiefs until someone has to take a potty break. The French are proven cowards, take a look at the cemetery's near Normandy if you need proof.

Answer 5

their History from1870 onwards has a lot to do with it.

Their mutiny in 1917
Their performance in 1940
Their outright Collaboration with Nazi authorities Dien Bein Phu
Algeria
their inability to handle hooligans in the paris ghettos..........

Answer 6

only in the last 100 years have they turned shickensh*t on us....I agree they were ok on the world conquest scene at one time but that was before WW1...when they lost there that pretty much put the kabosh on their military and national pride....they go belly up now pretty much anytime anybody says boo at them.....except Greenpeace..they did kill a bunch of them down in the S Pacfic a few years ago...but I dont think they had any guns to shoot back with so I dont know if that counts

Answer 7

IN WWII THEY DIDNT WANT TO LOOSE THEIR GENERATION OF MEN LIKE IN WWI, SO THEY SAID NO MORE WAR.

french are not the cowards you yankees!!, they are one of the toughest military i have ever seen, alot tougher than yank soldiers in my opinion. they just didnt watnt to star another war and loose its men. when you go to Verdun, you will see so many crosses, that it is just so sad you will know why french didnt want to fight

Answer 8

they surrendered in WWI and WWII and dragged us into Vietnam because they didn't have the will to deal with it themselves.In WWII they couldn't defend themselves not because of Belgium but because they were to cowardly to prepare a strong military before the war and to cowardly to act against Hitler before he got strong.they turned their back on their responsibility in Europe and thought they could negotiate their way out of a problem.answer-it's no myth.

Answer 9

Only for the past 80 years or so... They now live up to the coward name very well.

Answer 10

History proves true. There might come a day when they have just had it with themselves and their reputation and pony up, you never know.