All these jokes about the French running at first glance of an enemy imply they are incapable to fight and too afraid to fight. Thats the point of the "joke".

As I use to say, there are only two or three war-capable armies in Europe currently: The British, the Turks, and in parts the French with their foreign legion.

French politics always, imo at least, is carried by underhandedness and diplomatic intrigues and conspiracy against claimed allies and friends. I do not trust them and their foreign diplomacy, not one bit. And of course their rejection of DeGaulles understanding of the needed tactics for the new tank weapon was a folly for which they paid dearly, the Germans plowed them under as a result although on the material side the German Wehrmacht was inferior and the French had better tanks and better entrenchements. German tactics made the difference.

I do not get where this constant mocking of the French for their implied running from the enemy is coming from. I attribute many qualities to their army, not all of them compliments. That they do not set up a fight is none of them, however, and their intel operations are amongst the most robust - and "unshy", to put it this way - in the Western world. They had their defeats in modern times, yes. But those had the US army as well.

Take the French Foreign Legion out of the equation and the French army does not instil fear into any enemy troops like the FFL would, too much reliance on one outfit lessons the overall combat effectiveness of their other regiments.

Looking at it from an Englishman's perspective I believe much of it comes from the fact we have probably been enemies more often than allies.

...then there's the cozy little arrangement the remaining French government after the fall of Paris entered into with the Nazis; the Vichy "government" and all of its attendant bowing and scraping to the Nazis did not engender much sympathy nor respect from the rest of the world, an impression that still exists today; the brutalization, under guise of "legitimate government" of the Vichy French citizens and the acquiescence of the Vichy "leaders", mainly to save their own sorry, pathetic skins, still rankles...


...and the concept of not blaming the soldiers is true; the rank and file are not responsible for the moral cowardice or failure to lead of their politicians; however, there can be bit of blame sharing for the highest and higher levels of military leadership who either failed to adequately advise and inform the political leaders and who capitulated more to save their skins than to ostensibly spare their troops...




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dont know much about French politics, but, hes a politician... so experience as an American tells me he is selling France down the river one piece at a time

...are you saying Macron's "in Seine"... ?...




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Macron studied philosophy at Paris Nanterre University, later completing a master's degree in public affairs at Sciences Po and graduating from the École nationale d'administration in 2004. He worked as a senior civil servant at the Inspectorate General of Finances and later became an investment banker at Rothschild & Co. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmanuel_Macron

Five reasons why Macron won the last French election

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39791036

Why do some French people not like President Emmanuel Macron?
https://www.quora.com/Why-do-some-Fr...mmanuel-Macron

He's got some work to do to repair his reputation as the President of the wealthy, I think he should start with the middle classes he's been screwing over first, then the yellow vests and farmers and last but not least the fishermen.
All of these groups will be having there say in next years elections and the unchecked immigration into France is going to be a politicians nightmare to defend.

Actually, the French Army is very professional and capable. Since WW2, France has taken a very active role in Africa, especially in former french colonies.

The intervention in Mali in 2013 was a master class in warfare. Islamic rebels conquered eastern Mali and were threathening the capture the capital, Bamako. The French sent in a small elite force which reconquered most of the country and smashed the rebels in a few weeks.

The French in Africa have been doing what the U.S. is doing in the middle east, but more efficiently and without all the big media fanfare.

All the while, the french have managed to keep good relations with most of the former french colonies in Africa. For example, France has managed to keep very good relations, both politically and economically, with Algeria, despite the Algerian war in 1956-62.

The U.S., UK, Canada, Germany, etc. could do a lot worse than trying to emulate french foreign policy.

https://youtu.be/QO3iXNtLkug

Armée Française en action - Opération Serval, Mali 2013.