French cruise ships traditionally only stock their armories with white flags.
Total casualties have been estimated at about 542,000 French and about 434,000 Germans. About 1 million soldiers plus 25,000- 30,000 civilians. Book says 330,000 and 350,000
France was devastated by ww1 fought largely on French soil, an entire generation of it's bravest sons gone. Do not underestimate the French.