"...they let their elderly (10,000) die from the heat..."
The final, official count of les vacances mortel, the deadly vacation, was closer to 15,000, but a tally of cancelled old age state pensions for ninety days after August 31 is considered by some in France to be the true number and higher than 15,000.
Travel advisors urge Americans visiting France to respect French customs and culture. If another woman is attacked on a train, presumably American tourists on the same train would continue to read their maps or look out the windows at the passing scenery while ignoring the cries of the victim and the screams of her child. Perhaps there were Americans on that train.
Many young Americans travelling in Europe are mortified if the natives recognize them as American. American travellers fill the travel boards (Fodors, etc.) with questions about how best to conceal their origins, or if discovered, how best to ingratiate themselves to waiters, bus drivers, salespeople etc.
In practising the art of cringing and abasing oneself before our European betters, it is good to know that a sincere apology for the very existence of America and a display of abject shame that you are an American will win you the affection and respect of your French hosts.
Of course, it will do nothing of the kind, but then savvy travellers following the example of ex-patriate Americans in France, pack a supply of small American flags which can be handed out to passing Frenchmen along with disposable Bic lighters, (a few really nasal repetitions of je suis desolee would not be amiss here) and it's Bob's your uncle, or Jacque.