den | The French

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I'm sick of French Bashing. It is hackneyed, cliched and not funny. The fact that it keeps showing up is annoying, and to my mind using it is a waste of space that could have been better used to be amusing in.

Current Mood: annoyed

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From:

ursuscal.livejournal.com

They didn't do too well during WWII, but that had a lot to do with the fact that their leaders were mostly old fossils, still trying to fight a cavalry war in a mechanized era, and depending upon an incomplete Marginot Line. But hey, the U.S. has a "Star Wars" program. I figure it's about the same.

And I don't know too many Nations who'd want to go up against the French Foreign Legion.

From:

zibblsnrt.livejournal.com

I'm kinda curious as to how many national armies could have done half so well in 1940. Besides, the French hardly rolled over and played dead without a fight; it cost the Germans 60,000 killed (God knows how many wounded) to start running the French into rout mode.

They went down, yes, but considering what they were up against they made a pretty damn good showing for themselves. (Ditto the Poles, who actually inflicted slightly more casualties on the Germans during their own defense.) If Rommel could speak highly of their armies at times, I'd take his word on it. ;)

From:

targaff.livejournal.com

There are, of course, such issues as the scuttling of a significant navy of ships in Toulon harbour so that the allied forces couldn't use them. Or the fact that the much glorified Resistance didn't even constitute 1% of the population of the country at the time as being "ze French spirit" - in fact it was probably closer to one tenth of one per cent. There's a reason this is the fifth age of French history, yet only 3 are taught in France; it's the arrogance and wilful ignorance of what it means "d'etre francais" that winds people up, and I can't see any harm in rubbing it in whenever possible, particularly when they take any and all opportunity to sneer down their overlarge, aquiline noses at everyone else.

Particularly after a fluky 2-1 win.

From:

dewhitton.livejournal.com

In 1940 the only thing that stopped the Germans was the English Channel. Becks should have been replaced by E.Channel and maybe you'd have a chance. You're just bitter.

From:

targaff.livejournal.com

Flooding the pitch, now that's an idea...

Bitter about what, the match or the war? I'm not too bothered about either, to be honest - the match was a fluke, although they'd played better overall, and the war, well, I thought that was singlehandedly resolved by the then-uninvolved Americans? Or are we not allowed to mock them now, either?

Or, indeed, are you just bitter about the lack of recognition given to the Australian contribution? ;)

My point, reached by going around the houses somewhat, is that they're not above it with anyone else and their quintessential Frenchness sets them up to be mocked in turn. I hope people will mock me for being British; so long long as they can identify the difference between a people and a person, I don't really care. Generally there are good reasons for the stereotypes that exist and there's no real harm in reiterating them as long as people recognise them for what they are. They help maintain an entente cordiale far more than uptight aloofness ever would.

Bruce.