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Normans were French, and as it was a "crusade", there were people from all Europe. The Armada was also a crusade with many nationalities to protect Catholics in England. The storms swept away ships.
None of this explains how the British managed to conquer the biggest empire in the world and hold on to it for one to three centuries, depending on the place.
"Channel" wasn't covering the entire world, and as many have already said, it didn't stop the Romans, Saxon tribes, Norsemen or Normans.
French had a great military history but their biggest weakness was the lack of good military leaders at the top levels in most XIX and XX century wars, and the old-thinking approach to the military doctrine before WW2. They had more and better tanks than the Germans did, but didn't use them right. And in WW1, if it was just the war between France and Germany, they would've lost.
It was a tremendous shock to the entire world that the French army, one of largest, most modern and best equipped armed forces of it's time, definitely a contender for the spot on a "top three" list, has been defended so totally in such a short time and at such a low cost to the enemy, the German casualties were minimal compared to WW1. And the way in which the Vichy regime collaborated with it's Nazi masters against France's former allies was infuriating to most people in the US and U.K. This had certainly contributed to the "surrender monkeys" image.
The "Normans" began to arrive on the French coasts in the 1 century. After all these centuries they have mixed with the locals and spoke French, adopt the Carolingian-based cultures and have Swear fealty to the kingdom of France etc. It is not for nothing if all your elites spoke French for 450 years and your coats of arms and your motto are today always written in French.
Ummagumma : France lost 92,000 soldiers killed and at least the double wounded in just one month fighting, by comparison the BEF lost 9,000, half of whom in the sinking of Lancastria.
France in one month lost 1/4 of ALL American losses in WWII, whereas in WWI France lost more men than the US in their whole history... For the only day of August 22, 1914, 27,000 soldiers fell on the field of honor. It is the most deadly day of the history of France. (6 times US losses during the Iraq war)
In the whole WWII, over 300,000 French soldiers were killed. During one month, Germany lost 160 000 men as many as the normandy campaign of 1944, lost 1800 tanks and the Luftwaff lost 50% of his strength... it's help a lot for the battle of England.
In each French commune (more than 33 000) there is a monument to the dead in tribute to the ww1 and 2 ...This represents 6 million deaths and may be double wounded...
Last edited by Bordeaux33; 11-30-2016 at 09:32 AM..
None of this explains how the British managed to conquer the biggest empire in the world and hold on to it for one to three centuries, depending on the place.
"Channel" wasn't covering the entire world, and as many have already said, it didn't stop the Romans, Saxon tribes, Norsemen or Normans.
French had a great military history but their biggest weakness was the lack of good military leaders at the top levels in most XIX and XX century wars, and the old-thinking approach to the military doctrine before WW2. They had more and better tanks than the Germans did, but didn't use them right. And in WW1, if it was just the war between France and Germany, they would've lost.
It was a tremendous shock to the entire world that the French army, one of largest, most modern and best equipped armed forces of it's time, definitely a contender for the spot on a "top three" list, has been defended so totally in such a short time and at such a low cost to the enemy, the German casualties were minimal compared to WW1. And the way in which the Vichy regime collaborated with it's Nazi masters against France's former allies was infuriating to most people in the US and U.K. This had certainly contributed to the "surrender monkeys" image.
This was infuriating to a lot of French people as well....
The "Normans" began to arrive on the French coasts in the 1 century. After all these centuries they have mixed with the locals and spoke French, adopt the Carolingian-based cultures and have Swear fealty to the kingdom of France etc. It is not for nothing if all your elites spoke French for 450 years and your coats of arms and your motto are today always written in French.
Ummagumma : France lost 92,000 soldiers killed and at least the double wounded in just one month fighting, by comparison the BEF lost 9,000, half of whom in the sinking of Lancastria.
France in one month lost 1/4 of ALL American losses in WWII, whereas in WWI France lost more men than the US in their whole history... For the only day of August 22, 1914, 27,000 soldiers fell on the field of honor. It is the most deadly day of the history of France. (6 times US losses during the Iraq war)
In the whole WWII, over 300,000 French soldiers were killed. During one month, Germany lost 160 000 men as many as the normandy campaign of 1944, lost 1800 tanks and the Luftwaff lost 50% of his strength... it's help a lot for the battle of England.
In each French commune (more than 33 000) there is a monument to the dead in tribute to the ww1 and 2 ...This represents 6 million deaths and may be double wounded...
Well, I did say "not strictly" but there's a reason it is referred to as the "Norman" invasion and not the "French" invasion
Back to the thread topic, as a Brit, I have a high regard of the French and their culture and don't consider them to be cowardly at all. And Americans should consider whether the French were cowardly when they gave their assistance in the American Revolutionary War.
The "Normans" began to arrive on the French coasts in the 1 century. After all these centuries they have mixed with the locals and spoke French, adopt the Carolingian-based cultures and have Swear fealty to the kingdom of France etc. It is not for nothing if all your elites spoke French for 450 years and your coats of arms and your motto are today always written in French.
Ummagumma : France lost 92,000 soldiers killed and at least the double wounded in just one month fighting, by comparison the BEF lost 9,000, half of whom in the sinking of Lancastria.
France in one month lost 1/4 of ALL American losses in WWII, whereas in WWI France lost more men than the US in their whole history... For the only day of August 22, 1914, 27,000 soldiers fell on the field of honor. It is the most deadly day of the history of France. (6 times US losses during the Iraq war)
In the whole WWII, over 300,000 French soldiers were killed. During one month, Germany lost 160 000 men as many as the normandy campaign of 1944, lost 1800 tanks and the Luftwaff lost 50% of his strength... it's help a lot for the battle of England.
In each French commune (more than 33 000) there is a monument to the dead in tribute to the ww1 and 2 ...This represents 6 million deaths and may be double wounded...
Not to argue but the Wikipedia lists the German death toll in the entire French campaign at about 45,000 dead and missing.
For comparison, in WW1, during the 5 days long Battle of the Marne in September 1914, which stopped German advance on Paris and saved the city, the Germans lost about 68,000 dead and missing.
None of this explains how the British managed to conquer the biggest empire in the world and hold on to it for one to three centuries, depending on the place.
"Channel" wasn't covering the entire world, and as many have already said, it didn't stop the Romans, Saxon tribes, Norsemen or Normans.
French had a great military history but their biggest weakness was the lack of good military leaders at the top levels in most XIX and XX century wars, and the old-thinking approach to the military doctrine before WW2. They had more and better tanks than the Germans did, but didn't use them right. And in WW1, if it was just the war between France and Germany, they would've lost.
It was a tremendous shock to the entire world that the French army, one of largest, most modern and best equipped armed forces of it's time, definitely a contender for the spot on a "top three" list, has been defended so totally in such a short time and at such a low cost to the enemy, the German casualties were minimal compared to WW1. And the way in which the Vichy regime collaborated with it's Nazi masters against France's former allies was infuriating to most people in the US and U.K. This had certainly contributed to the "surrender monkeys" image.
Rundsted would have squashed England (Chamberlain) if there was no channel. I don't think it was the biggest empire, and certainly not 300 years. The "empire in which the sun never sets" was not British.
English, Mosley and such, would have been collaborators had they ever been occupied.
Well, I did say "not strictly" but there's a reason it is referred to as the "Norman" invasion and not the "French" invasion
Back to the thread topic, as a Brit, I have a high regard of the French and their culture and don't consider them to be cowardly at all. And Americans should consider whether the French were cowardly when they gave their assistance in the American Revolutionary War.
Along Normans there were 100 different provenances. Only a fraction were descendants of pirates and they were as French as Franks, that founded France.
As I said, invading England is a piece of cake, but General "The Channel" made it difficult. The Channel is not English but a geographical strait.
A piece of cake eh? I think Philip, Napolean and Hitler (among others) all thought the same and look what happened to them lol, can you 'prove' that invading England is a piece of cake, I can show you what happened to the Armada, Napolean and Hitler to prove that it isn't!
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