Opinion about France

[sapper]

I love France, and visit regularly, mainly the west coast around St Jean De Monts & the Vendee.

English is not spoken a lot over there so you have to try hard.

The food and wine are fantastic.

Why people don't understand the French is because the French have a different ethic, they work to live, not live to work.

As for the cliched remarks I would suggest that some people should read up on their WW1 and WW2 history, ( a lesson I am not willing to hand out now), except to say that in both cases the government may have surrendered but the majority of the people didn't.

-- 09 Oct 2010, 19:14 --

Did you mean French Military Defeats?

They get into everything that fails. Lol.

Why do you think the french flag is solid white?



At least I think it's white. It's what I always see flying over them whenever they get into a war. :lol:

This is a very blinkered view coming from a country that was neutral until Japan bombed Pearl Harbour, and which has never had a occupation force on it's soil, or a country which has never fought a war on it's own and won it ... so STFU<br /><br />-- 09 Oct 2010, 19:19 --<br /><br />

Did you mean French Military Defeats?

They get into everything that fails. Lol.

At least the French surrendered with honour, and didn't make strategic withdrawals, or land on the wrong beach.

People in glass houses young man....America are not the World Police how ever much you may think they are.

Most Americans think WW2 started in Dec 1941, it actually started in 1939, but then the yanks arrived late for WW1 as well

 

[Gimgak]

This is a very blinkered view coming from a country that was neutral until Japan bombed Pearl Harbour, and which has never had a occupation force on it's soil, or a country which has never fought a war on it's own and won it ... so STFU

So america never had a revolution or a civil war? My my, I have certainly learned some things today.


Some people just can't take a joke. American govt was as much a dick as France or Switzerland.
Arguably America was in the end worse due to selling out eastern Europe to a man worse than hitler.

 

[sapper]

This is a very blinkered view coming from a country that was neutral until Japan bombed Pearl Harbour, and which has never had a occupation force on it's soil, or a country which has never fought a war on it's own and won it ... so STFU

So america never had a revolution or a civil war? My my, I have certainly learned some things today.

A revolution and/or a civil war is not an occupation force is it ?
Read and digest before answering, and I am glad I've taught you something, you obviously never paid attention in class


Some people just can't take a joke. American govt was as much a dick as France or Switzerland.
Arguably America was in the end worse due to selling out eastern Europe to a man worse than hitler.

And what have the Swiss to do with it... they were neutral in both wars !! The Americans "Sold out " OMG, they turned tail and ran from the Russians, deciding instead to carve up Europe between the allies, and parking their military might in Germany and England for the next fifty years and spreading paranoia of "reds under the bed" to justify the expense of it to the American people.

 

[Cosmic]

neutral until Japan bombed Pearl Harbour

France and Britain were neutral until Germany invaded Poland. They had the chance to squash Hitler like a bug.

which has never had a occupation force on it's soil

In the war of 1812 the brits burned down the white house.

country which has never fought a war on it's own and won it

War of 1812 and Civil War were both fought alone.

Most Americans think WW2 started in Dec 1941, it actually started in 1939

Many historians regard it to have started [n]as a world war[/b] when America joined in.

 

[sapper]

neutral until Japan bombed Pearl Harbour

France and Britain were neutral until Germany invaded Poland. They had the chance to squash Hitler like a bug.

Sorry but Britain asked Hitler not to invade Poland, as Britain had a pact with the Poles dating from WW1, it also had a non-argression pact with France, When Hitler invaded Poland he bu action declared war on Britain.

which has never had a occupation force on it's soil

In the war of 1812 the brits burned down the white house.
OMG you do not even know your own history, America was a British colony, and as such we were not an occupationary force, and yep we did burn it down.

country which has never fought a war on it's own and won it

War of 1812 and Civil War were both fought alone.

OK lets clarify that one, I meant an invasion.

Most Americans think WW2 started in Dec 1941, it actually started in 1939

Many historians regard it to have started [n]as a world war[/b] when America joined in.

You mean American historians, at the time of America joining the war was being fought on three fronts, more countries were involved than were absent, Africa via French or British Colonies, Australia, New Zealand, Tibet, India, The Balkan countries, Canada, The Carribean states... need I go on. Like said America thinks the Earth revolves around it.

 

[Cosmic]

Sorry but Britain asked Hitler not to invade Poland, as Britain had a pact with the Poles dating from WW1, it also had a non-argression pact with France, When Hitler invaded Poland he bu action declared war on Britain.

They warned Hitler not to invade a lot of other countries too.

OMG you do not even know your own history, America was a British colony, and as such we were not an occupationary force, and yep we did burn it down.

No, you don't know history. Lets me gives yous a timelines:

Revolutionary war ends: 1783
Constitution ratified: 1788
Vermont, Kentucky, Tenesse, Ohio become states: 1991-1803
Louisiana becomes state: 1812 (earlier)
War of 1812: 1812.

The revolutionary war was three decades earlier. America had been a sovereign nation for a long time. You do not have the sense to know that the white house nor Washington didn't exist during the revolutionary war and that a peace treaty had been signed between the US and Britain between the two events. Finally, you resort to a display of your pure nationalist bias against the United States. Why should you see that as a proud event? America and the United States are now allies, not enemies.

OK lets clarify that one, I meant an invasion.

The war of 1812 was an invasion. Look it up, damnit. Also during the Civil War the confederacy did storm into union territory on numerous occasions.

You mean American historians

Where are all the international historians that have no national bias?

at the time of America joining the war was being fought on three fronts, more countries were involved than were absent, Africa via French or British Colonies, Australia, New Zealand, Tibet, India, The Balkan countries, Canada, The Carribean states... need I go on. Like said America thinks the Earth revolves around it.

It was a world war when every continent became involved in the conflict.

 

[sapper]

@ Cosmic

Your ignorance of America's history amazes me !!

Here it is for you in a nutshell :

The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) or American War of Independence began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and concluded in a global war between several European great powers.

The war was the culmination of the political American Revolution, whereby many of the colonists rejected the legitimacy of the Parliament of Great Britain to govern them without representation, claiming that this violated the Rights of Englishmen. The First Continental Congress met in 1774 to coordinate relations with Great Britain and the by-then thirteen self-governing and individual provinces, petitioning George III for intervention with Parliament, organizing a boycott of British goods, while affirming loyalty to the British Crown. Their pleas ignored, and with British soldiers billeted in Boston, Massachusetts, by 1775 the Provincial Congresses formed the Second Continental Congress and authorized a Continental Army. Additional petitions to the king to intervene with Parliament resulted in the following year with Congress being declared traitors and the states to be in rebellion. The Americans responded in 1776 by formally declaring their independence as one new nation — the United States of America — claiming their own sovereignty and rejecting any allegiance to the British monarchy.

France's government under King Louis XVI secretly provided supplies, ammunition and weapons to the rebels starting in 1776, and the Continentals' capture of a British army in 1777 led France to openly enter the war in early 1778, which evened the military strength with Britain. Spain and the Dutch Republic – French allies – also went to war with Britain over the next two years, threatening an invasion of Great Britain and severely testing British military strength with campaigns in Europe — including attacks on Minorca and Gibraltar — and an escalating global naval war. Spain's involvement culminated in the expulsion of British armies from West Florida, securing the American colonies' southern flank.

Throughout the war, the British were able to use their naval superiority to capture and occupy American coastal cities, but control of the countryside (where 90% of the population lived) largely eluded them because of the relatively small size of their land army. French involvement proved decisive, with a French naval victory in the Chesapeake leading at Yorktown in 1781 to the surrender of a second British army. In 1783, the Treaty of Paris ended the war and recognized the sovereignty of the United States over the territory bounded by what is now Canada to the north, Florida to the south, and the Mississippi River to the west.

Now to put this simply for you, the colonists were a bit cheesed off with Britain telling them what to do all the time, and they asked nasty King George if they could have someone in the British Parliament to speak for them, now nasty King George didn't like this idea and said NO!, now that made the colonialists a bit angry, so they all got together and made themselves into a new country and attaked the British troops that were already billeted in Boston and Massachusets, and they won. Independence from Britain and France was declared on July 4th 1776.

The American Civil war was fought between Americans, Civil means of the same country, not that they were nice to each other, brother fought brother, there were no other nations involved it was North v South, you know the Mason Dixon line and all that, !!?.

As for the Stated and Britain being allies, where were you when we needed a Western Atlantic base in 1982, we had to rely on Chile..not the good old USA.


Ok I'm done with you now, you really need to pay a lot more attention in class.<br /><br />-- 09 Oct 2010, 21:43 --<br /><br />

at the time of America joining the war was being fought on three fronts, more countries were involved than were absent, Africa via French or British Colonies, Australia, New Zealand, Tibet, India, The Balkan countries, Canada, The Carribean states... need I go on. Like said America thinks the Earth revolves around it.

It was a world war when every continent became involved in the conflict.

Tell me which of these Continents was NOT involved prior to 1941.

North American ( Canada Allied Britain)
S American ( Brazil, Argentina Allied to the Axis forces)
Europe ( Perm any 1 from about 20)
Asia ( India, Tibet, Malaysia)
Africa (S Africa, Rhodesia)
Australasia ( Australia, New Zealand)

Need I say more ?

 

[katy perry is hot]

Cosmic, stop being so American centralized. WWII was a world war before America got involved. Canada, a commonwealth of England, was involved, thus under your own belief that every continent needs to be involved, was fulfilled.

'

 

[Cosmic]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_1812

Look at this and stop spewing all that about a war I'm not even talking about.

Shall I speak slowly so that it sinks in?

THE WAR OF 1812 AND THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR ARE NOT THE SAME THING.

North American ( Canada Allied Britain)

Canada only declared war against Japan on December 7th, 1941.

 

[sapper]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_1812

Look at this and stop spewing all that about a war I'm not even talking about.

Shall I speak slowly so that it sinks in?

THE WAR OF 1812 AND THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR ARE NOT THE SAME THING.

North American ( Canada Allied Britain)

Canada only declared war against Japan on December 7th, 1941.

Whatever

 

[Cosmic]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_1812

Look at this and stop spewing all that about a war I'm not even talking about.

Shall I speak slowly so that it sinks in?

THE WAR OF 1812 AND THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR ARE NOT THE SAME THING.

North American ( Canada Allied Britain)

Canada only declared war against Japan on December 7th, 1941.

Whatever

I ask that you apologize for this:

Your ignorance of America's history amazes me !!

OMG you do not even know your own history, America was a British colony, and as such we were not an occupationary force, and yep we did burn it down.

You just made a capital idiot out of yourself by insulting me and then, after proven completely wrong, saying "whatever". I ask that you apologize for what you said and acknowledge that I was correct on that point.

 

[sapper]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_1812

Look at this and stop spewing all that about a war I'm not even talking about.

Shall I speak slowly so that it sinks in?

THE WAR OF 1812 AND THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR ARE NOT THE SAME THING.

North American ( Canada Allied Britain)

Canada only declared war against Japan on December 7th, 1941.

Whatever

I ask that you apologize for this:

Your ignorance of America's history amazes me !!

OMG you do not even know your own history, America was a British colony, and as such we were not an occupationary force, and yep we did burn it down.

You just made a capital idiot out of yourself by insulting me and then, after proven completely wrong, saying "whatever". I ask that you apologize for what you said and acknowledge that I was correct on that point.

Apologise for what, proving you know nothing of WW2, and your own countries , military and political history.
Apologise for the fact that Americans are taught that they won WW2, and that Audie Murphy did it all on his own.... gimme a break will ya.

Discussion over, even one of your own countrymen has asked you to stop digging that hole you are in.
Now go to bed, it's far too late for you to be online

 

[Cosmic]

Apologise for what, proving you know nothing of WW2

Know nothing of? We are having a small debate about when it started as a world war. You are stating that I know nothing of it from a small, on the grand scale, differance of opinion.

and your own countries

You know nothing of american history. You are denying the fact that the war of 1812 existed. you are just making comments about the civil and revolutionary wars, which I'm not talking about. you said that america has never been invaded. That is false because of the fact that we were invaded by the British during the war of 1812.

Apologise for the fact that Americans are taught that they won WW2

We did. Sure, it was a multi-national war, but the side the Americas were on won. Last I checked Hitler was a dead man.

Audie Murphy did it all on his own

I didn't say that.

Discussion over

Not until you apologize.

even one of your own countrymen has asked you to stop digging that hole you are in.

Do realize that Irviding is a liberal. I don't agree with him on very much at all.

Now go to bed, it's far too late for you to be online

Don't you know about something called timezones? It's 6 hours later where you are. In america it was just 7 when you posted that message. In the UK is is 1:00. I suggest you go to bed.

 

[Gimgak]

A revolution and/or a civil war is not an occupation force is it ?
Read and digest before answering, and I am glad I've taught you something, you obviously never paid attention in class

1812?

And what have the Swiss to do with it... they were neutral in both wars !! The Americans "Sold out " OMG, they turned tail and ran from the Russians, deciding instead to carve up Europe between the allies, and parking their military might in Germany and England for the next fifty years and spreading paranoia of "reds under the bed" to justify the expense of it to the American people.

Yeah swiss were neutral... same as america was before 1941. "What? Hitler isn't committing genocide and invading other countries... at least he hasn't seen us yet!". Turning your back on something is bad but Roosevelt selling my country to the USSR is worse I admit.

Whatever

Oh shi- disregard everything else I've said, you're right. I cannot just ignore those incredible debating skills.

 

[sapper]

The problem debating with American children is that they do not understand the concept of British humour, irony or sarcasm.
I know full well of the existence of time and it's zones throughout the world, telling you to go bed at 7pm is calling you a child, and your reply in a way proved my point,

whoooooooooooooooooooooooosh
Thats the sound of another remark going over your head.

As for apologising.................nah can't be bothered, there are so many things wrong with your teaching, you carry on growing up with that chip on your shoulder, and believing that America is the World Police.

 

[Cosmic]

All you're doing is putting words into our mouths and hiding behind insults. I suggest you actually address our point instead of being condescending. Your immature attitude seems to imply that you, sir, are the child. Please stop being rude to everyone who does not bow to the alter of the UK.

 

[sapper]

All you're doing is putting words into our mouths and hiding behind insults. I suggest you actually address our point instead of being condescending. Your immature attitude seems to imply that you, sir, are the child. Please stop being rude to everyone who does not bow to the alter of the UK.

Oh if you think those are insults you have no idea of he British psyche, I can do a heck of a lot better than that.

Ok back to topic :

You say Britain invaded America in 1812, I say it did not.

n·va·sion
   /ɪnˈveɪʒən/ Show Spelled[in-vey-zhuhn] Show IPA
–noun
1.
an act or instance of invading or entering as an enemy, esp. by an army.
2.
the entrance or advent of anything troublesome or harmful, as disease.
3.
entrance as if to take possession or overrun: the annual invasion of the resort by tourists.
4.
infringement by intrusion.

Thats the OED )Oxford English Dictionary) for the word Invasion.

Now to my rusty history, America attacked Canada ( a British territory in thw 1812 war) and captured Lake Erie.
The British attempted to invade New Orleans but were repelled, we also beat the Amercans at Bladensburg, and managed to burn down the Whitehouse.
Both forces had armies of occupation, in variousparts of eacch others territory, these were handed back under the Treaty of Ghent.
The British were backed by American Indians loyal to the British.
At no point in that war did a British force occupy the whole of the United States, you in military terms were not invaded because you repelled the invasinons.

 

[footballbb]

Not my favorite country,it's fine though.

 

[MissTake]

@ Cosmic and Sapper

While this is a very interesting and age old debate can I remind you both that the OP asked what you thought about France? Whilst you both answered that question in part, it appears that you have gone somewhat off topic.

Let's keep this thread ON topic and if you can be adult about it, your personal debate would look good in it's own thread 😉

Thanks 🙂

 

[Mike]

I lived in Fance for 3 years, Great scenery, Great people, Great Weather, Great food 🙂.