Mocking of the French in WW2

[Sicaris]

So, I’m sure most, if not all of you, have seen “French surrender” jokes some point in your life. However, one thing that all of these disregard is how amazing the French had prepared for the Second World War. The MAS-36 Rifle was a great example of an amazing piece of French engineering, being reliable and relatively common, and well liked. Same with the MAS-38 Submacne Gun. Besides this, their tanks were horrifying for the Germans to face when they invaded France. The SOMUA S-35 and Char B-1 are great examples of this. The S-35 served the ole of the light tank extremely well, but was very costly because of the way it was produced. The Char B1 was a monster of a tank, especially against early-war German Panzers. The thing had extremely thick armor and two highly effective gun that made short work of the German tanks at the time. I remember a story about a Char B1 clearing a town of around a dozen, if not more Panzers but was beat back when artillery barrages came in.

The French plan for the war was also ingenious, even though it utterly failed in the end. Had it worked, I’m sure the war would have had a much different outcome. You can learn more about it here.

So, NSG, why do you think everything about the French in WW2 is mocked so much, other than the surrender itself?

[Uxupox]

the french sucked end of story. should not have been given back their homeland. should have been occupied and partioned ala germany style.

[Conserative Morality]

So, I’m sure most, if not all of you, have seen “French surrender” jokes some point in your life. However, one thing that all of these disregard is how amazing the French had prepared for the Second World War. The MAS-36 Rifle was a great example of an amazing piece of French engineering, being reliable and relatively common, and well liked. Same with the MAS-38 Submacne Gun. Besides this, their tanks were horrifying for the Germans to face when they invaded France. The SOMUA S-35 and Char B-1 are great examples of this. The S-35 served the ole of the light tank extremely well, but was very costly because of the way it was produced. The Char B1 was a monster of a tank, especially against early-war German Panzers. The thing had extremely thick armor and two highly effective gun that made short work of the German tanks at the time. I remember a story about a Char B1 clearing a town of around a dozen, if not more Panzers but was beat back when artillery barrages came in.

The French plan for the war was also ingenious, even though it utterly failed in the end. Had it worked, I’m sure the war would have had a much different outcome. You can learn more about it here.

One Char = 13 Panzers!

So, NSG, why do you think everything about the French in WW2 is mocked so much, other than the surrender itself?

It's a pretty recent phenemenon; WW2 is an excuse, not the cause.

[Thermodolia]

the french sucked end of story. should not have been given back their homeland. should have been occupied and partioned ala germany style.

Negative ghost rider. Germany should have been squashed after WW1

[Uxupox]

the french sucked end of story. should not have been given back their homeland. should have been occupied and partioned ala germany style.

Negative ghost rider. Germany should have been squashed after WW1

hmm. something like this?

All lands to have permanent allied bases at the will of the victorious allies. Foreign policy for all these created states would have been non existent as well.

[New Raffica]

the french sucked end of story. should not have been given back their homeland. should have been occupied and partioned ala germany style.

Negative ghost rider. Germany should have been squashed after WW1

Germany WAS squashed after WWI. The international community just let them to build back up and turned a blind eye, or didn't care enough, because WWI was "the war to end all wars" and Germany wouldn't cause a war like that to happen again

[Uxupox]

Negative ghost rider. Germany should have been squashed after WW1

Germany WAS squashed after WWI. The international community just let them to build back up and turned a blind eye, or didn't care enough, because WWI was "the war to end all wars" and Germany wouldn't cause a war like that to happen again

Germany was a factor in WW1 not it's cause. If the international community wanted to avoid another resurgent Germany maybe they should have actually upheld the treaty that was signed instead they ignored it like the buffoons that they were.

[Sicaris]

Negative ghost rider. Germany should have been squashed after WW1

Germany WAS squashed after WWI. The international community just let them to build back up and turned a blind eye, or didn't care enough, because WWI was "the war to end all wars" and Germany wouldn't cause a war like that to happen again

Technically Germany didn’t cause the war. A conspiracy group of anti-Austrian/Hungarian assassins did.

[Dooom35796821595]

Germany WAS squashed after WWI. The international community just let them to build back up and turned a blind eye, or didn't care enough, because WWI was "the war to end all wars" and Germany wouldn't cause a war like that to happen again

Germany was a factor in WW1 not it's cause. If the international community wanted to avoid another resurgent Germany maybe they should have actually upheld the treaty that was signed instead they ignored it like the buffoons that they were.

Uphold it how? Another war? Stern letters from the Leauge of Nations?

[Valrifell]

Germany was a factor in WW1 not it's cause. If the international community wanted to avoid another resurgent Germany maybe they should have actually upheld the treaty that was signed instead they ignored it like the buffoons that they were.

Uphold it how? Another war? Stern letters from the Leauge of Nations?

You know how France occupied the Rhineland? That, but, later.

[Uxupox]

Germany was a factor in WW1 not it's cause. If the international community wanted to avoid another resurgent Germany maybe they should have actually upheld the treaty that was signed instead they ignored it like the buffoons that they were.

Uphold it how? Another war? Stern letters from the Leauge of Nations?

Indefinite occupation of the Rhineland.

[Dooom35796821595]

Uphold it how? Another war? Stern letters from the Leauge of Nations?

Indefinite occupation of the Rhineland.

Occupation, or annexation?

[Valrifell]

Indefinite occupation of the Rhineland.

Occupation, or annexation?

Until we build up enough bitter resentment with the German people that Hitler pops up no matter what we do.

[Uxupox]

Indefinite occupation of the Rhineland.

Occupation, or annexation?

Occupation.

Occupation, or annexation?

Until we build up enough bitter resentment with the German people that Hitler pops up no matter what we do.

Preemptive strike when Hitler decides too violate the treaty right and left.

[The Black Forrest]

The French started it!

[Thermodolia]

Negative ghost rider. Germany should have been squashed after WW1

Germany WAS squashed after WWI. The international community just let them to build back up and turned a blind eye, or didn't care enough, because WWI was "the war to end all wars" and Germany wouldn't cause a war like that to happen again

Not to my liking. Also it was the Anglos who where soft on Germany while France wanted what happened to Germany after WW2 to happen then. Us yanks and the Anglos decided to go soft on them and then not listen to France where Germany began to rearm.

Because you have to remember that the French invaded Germany to make sure that Germany kept to the treaty. It was the Brits who disagreed with confronting Germany

[Valrifell]

Germany WAS squashed after WWI. The international community just let them to build back up and turned a blind eye, or didn't care enough, because WWI was "the war to end all wars" and Germany wouldn't cause a war like that to happen again

Not to my liking. Also it was the Anglos who where soft on Germany while France wanted what happened to Germany after WW2 to happen then. Us yanks and the Anglos decided to go soft on them and then not listen to France where Germany began to rearm.

Because you have to remember that the French invaded Germany to make sure that Germany kept to the treaty. It was the Brits who disagreed with confronting Germany

Once again history proves that Chamberlain was just a mistake.

[Uxupox]

Not to my liking. Also it was the Anglos who where soft on Germany while France wanted what happened to Germany after WW2 to happen then. Us yanks and the Anglos decided to go soft on them and then not listen to France where Germany began to rearm.

Because you have to remember that the French invaded Germany to make sure that Germany kept to the treaty. It was the Brits who disagreed with confronting Germany

Once again history proves that Chamberlain was just a mistake.

Chamberlain was a shithead for a lack of a better word.

[The East Marches II]

Germany WAS squashed after WWI. The international community just let them to build back up and turned a blind eye, or didn't care enough, because WWI was "the war to end all wars" and Germany wouldn't cause a war like that to happen again

Not to my liking. Also it was the Anglos who where soft on Germany while France wanted what happened to Germany after WW2 to happen then. Us yanks and the Anglos decided to go soft on them and then not listen to France where Germany began to rearm.

Because you have to remember that the French invaded Germany to make sure that Germany kept to the treaty. It was the Brits who disagreed with confronting Germany

The French had nearly 6 million men mobilizable with a couple million being field troops. If you can't go to an occupation without a mere 90,000 Englishmen, then you have only yourself to blame. That is to say that the English are still culpable but that was a garbage analysis.

[Thermodolia]

Not to my liking. Also it was the Anglos who where soft on Germany while France wanted what happened to Germany after WW2 to happen then. Us yanks and the Anglos decided to go soft on them and then not listen to France where Germany began to rearm.

Because you have to remember that the French invaded Germany to make sure that Germany kept to the treaty. It was the Brits who disagreed with confronting Germany

Once again history proves that Chamberlain was just a mistake.

Chamberlain was a big mistake

[Japan and Pacific States]

Let's agree to disagree. The French did an absolutely horrid job in WWII. ...And should've become the third republic of Poland so Poles didn't have to go back to commie infested Poland after the war only to end up being tried for crimes they didn't commit and executed.

[Thermodolia]

Not to my liking. Also it was the Anglos who where soft on Germany while France wanted what happened to Germany after WW2 to happen then. Us yanks and the Anglos decided to go soft on them and then not listen to France where Germany began to rearm.

Because you have to remember that the French invaded Germany to make sure that Germany kept to the treaty. It was the Brits who disagreed with confronting Germany

The French had nearly 6 million men mobilizable with a couple million being field troops. If you can't go to an occupation without a mere 90,000 Englishmen, then you have only yourself to blame. That is to say that the English are still culpable but that was a garbage analysis.

Ya but the French weren’t about to go and invade and then have the Brits all pissed that they invading Germany. That’s why the French needed the Brits not for the military power but for the international support

[Thermodolia]

Let's agree to disagree. The French did an absolutely horrid job in WWII. ...And should've become the third republic of Poland so Poles didn't have to go back to commie infested Poland after the war only to end up being tried for crimes they didn't commit and executed.

Ya no. France remains France. Germany should have been totally disbanded and a good chunk should have been handed to the Jews

[Baltenstein]

I'm not even sure the whole "cheese eating surrender monkeys" thing dates back as far as World War 2. It would be rather absurd to think that the Anglo-American public, during a time when one European country after the other fell under German occupation in record time, would have specifically singled-out France for mockery over something that affected the rest of the continent as well. Personally, I believe the stereotype doesn't go further back than the 90ies, when the end of the Cold War (and the subsequent decay of the Soviet menace) spawned a broad re-newed interest in WW2 and its legacy.
As such, it's really just one more aspect of the "frenemy" opinion the French and the Anglo-Saxons have of each other, not much different than remarks about silly accents, cuisine, personal hygiene habits etc.

[The South Falls]

The reaosn being that America, who was the dominant power, needed to make themselves look great. So, they decided to make a scapegoat, like the always do. "We saved the scaredy-cat French from certain doom lolollololo11!OL!O!Ol" sounds better than "We fought alongside French partisans for years, and France posed a threat to Germany for quite a while."