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To: zapiks44
Just a few balancing points:

At Yorktown, the vast majority of "Washington"s" Franco-American Army consisted of French soldiers. The French fleet prevented the British fleet from reinforcing or evacuating Cornwallis's Army. The French general graciously allowed Washington to accept Cornwallis's surrender. There is no way we could have won that battle by ourselves. Of course we dare not say that in our history books.

On a single day in October of 1806, Napoleon crushed the Prussian Army with two hammer blows at Jena-Auerstadt. The Prussian army simply disintegrated. Intact Fortesses surrendered to summons from cavalry troopers. Not too shabby of an accomplishment against the best trained army in the World.

The French probably fought about a hundred pitched battles during Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars 1792-1815, winning about 80% of all the battles. No one I know has matched that record against opponents who possessed the same technology.

If the American Army of May 1940 had faced the German Army they would have folded in 6 days not 6 weeks like the French did.

31 posted on 09/06/2002 6:35:01 PM PDT by Eternal_Bear
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To: Eternal_Bear
The French actually had a good military record between the time of the accension of King Henry IV and Napolean's defeat at Waterloo. Since Waterloo the French have been terrible.
35 posted on 09/06/2002 7:00:36 PM PDT by weikel
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To: Eternal_Bear
Led by a non-elitist Corsican.
65 posted on 09/06/2002 11:17:07 PM PDT by Leisler
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To: Eternal_Bear
Damn... I tuned into this thread hoping for some good French jokes, and there's not a one - just a bunch of stuffy history lessons. (Damn... I've ended up having to learn something instead... oh well.)

It really does appear that the French only turned into cheese-eating surrender monkeys after Napoleon got whacked. But even a Frenchman will admit that (if you get enough wine into him, at least...).

However...:

If the American Army of May 1940 had faced the German Army they would have folded in 6 days not 6 weeks like the French did.

Not on American soil, the way the French did on French soil, dude... Not in 6 days, 6 weeks, 6 months... Not in your lifetime... Not even today, with armies of Clinton-voting soccer mommies whining for "accomodation" and "understanding"...

72 posted on 09/07/2002 1:05:33 AM PDT by fire_eye
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