[magslinger]

That French fleet being in the right place at the right time saved the revolution. Their motives for doing so matter a lot less than their actions, and their actions saved our bacon.

[Vanders9]

True, but dont think they came in to help you, they came in to help themselves. Thats the trick to understanding the French. They always have ulterior motives and they never ever take any action based on morality.

I'm not saying other nations don't do that, or even mostly do that, and I'm not saying that individual French people cannot act out of the goodness of their own hearts (some of the French medical charities are particularly and rightly well regarded) but the French government NEVER does.