I did not want to hijack the thread that reminded me of this, but I never understood American contempt toward the French military.
A few points to consider:
1. From Carolingian to Napoleonic rule France was a superpower.
2. They helped us in the Revolutionary War.
3. In the First World War, the French did no worse than the British. By the time we joined the fight, a whole generation of English and Frenchmen had been wiped out. Germans were running out of young men as well. In addition, the Germans as a nation were exhausted of the conflict. We had it easy.
4. Second World War, there was no single military that could have contained the Wehrmacht. The French had the misfortune of being the juiciest target on the border.
5. In Vietnam, they lost because of their politicians, same as we did. They were outmanned, outgunned, and did not terrorize the populace as the Viet Minh did. They were fighting with Second World War equipment when the Viet Minh were using the latest Soviet and Chinese equipment and American equipment captured in Korea. The French Air Force had less planes in the entire theater than Americans used in one single raid on the Ho Chi Min trail. There are plenty accounts of French heroism that by our standards who be deserving of the MOH.
6. Survivors of Dien Bien Phu would look at the Bataan Death March as a promenade (couldn't resist not using a French word).
So, why the disdain?
A few points to consider:
1. From Carolingian to Napoleonic rule France was a superpower.
2. They helped us in the Revolutionary War.
3. In the First World War, the French did no worse than the British. By the time we joined the fight, a whole generation of English and Frenchmen had been wiped out. Germans were running out of young men as well. In addition, the Germans as a nation were exhausted of the conflict. We had it easy.
4. Second World War, there was no single military that could have contained the Wehrmacht. The French had the misfortune of being the juiciest target on the border.
5. In Vietnam, they lost because of their politicians, same as we did. They were outmanned, outgunned, and did not terrorize the populace as the Viet Minh did. They were fighting with Second World War equipment when the Viet Minh were using the latest Soviet and Chinese equipment and American equipment captured in Korea. The French Air Force had less planes in the entire theater than Americans used in one single raid on the Ho Chi Min trail. There are plenty accounts of French heroism that by our standards who be deserving of the MOH.
6. Survivors of Dien Bien Phu would look at the Bataan Death March as a promenade (couldn't resist not using a French word).
So, why the disdain?