[HRH1948]

Why are the French known worldwide for their cowardice and bad manners? I have a theory.

Granted, the French were involved in the American Revolution in a rather hap hazard on again and off again manner for about 6 years. They lost less than 1,000 men in the land war and a little more than 1,000 men in the battle against the mighty British Navy. As has been the case in most French wars, their major losses were suffered during various defeats. Their major success was the sea blockade of Yorktown that enabled Washington to force the surrender of Cornwallis effectively ending the war.

The young Marquis de Lafayette was a favorite of General Washington and rose through the ranks to become a very effective general. When the American General “Black Jack” Pershing landed in France with the American Expeditionary Force during WWI, he said,” Lafayette, we are here”. I would comfortably say that our losses bailing out France in World War I outweighs any French losses during the American Revolution even with extraordinary compound interest. Then, there was WWII

Whether it’s Dien Bien Phu or the Maginot Line, the French seem to get their collective asses kicked in practically every major battle. When a corrupt and failed political system gives you inept military leaders and you get your ass handed to you after every major battle, you eventually become cowardly and pissed off towards the entire world.

Here endth my theory.

BTW, a few years ago, I bought a French MAS 49/56 7.5 mm rifle. Damned fine weapon. I have to reload my ammo because the ammo is as rare as hen’s teeth. The rifle is in extraordinary shape. Then, there is the very old and too often repeated joke about the French military surplus rifle having been never fired and only dropped once.