I keep hearing "cheese-eating surrender monkeys" (which I gather is a quote from the Simpsons TV show) describing the French, with comments about running from battle in WW-II. But the history I've read suggests that the average soldier wasn't a coward. This account of a tank battle during 1940 has no air of cowardice about it. Culpable stupidity by the planners, yes, but the captain was brave and resourceful.
French forces fought hard on both sides in Syria in June 1941. You can find plenty of similar examples without much effort.
I think it might be fairer to say that the higher levels of French government were and are incompetent and philosophically allergic to taking a strong stand against real danger.
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