1) The brits actually did have tons of wars
2) The French have won at least one war - the Hundred Years war (won shortly after the death of Joan de Orleans at the battle of Paris)
3)The fact that the US has never technically lost a war (technically, our last war was WWII), and only lost one impromtu war, shows that we have good commanders and a strong industrial base - from which can be concluded that we have "smarter" people, better policies (larger workforce, as people don't leave our country, and are coming from other countries to us), and more pride in our nation (hate to run away with our tail between our legs, eh? sorry, France fell rather fast)
4) none of you have quotes!
"For Joan!"
-Sir Metz
1) Well, all europeans have been brawling like mad men during centuries. War was quite the national sport during one thousand years. The only reason we stopped is that weapons have become far too deadly and some top state guys finally found out that trading was more profitable than trying to conquer his neighbour...
2)Not really a victory, english were just too few to conquer a territory as big as france. So, finally, they lost after more than one hundred years of that boring game :"hey, i win that battle ! Too bad, i lost the next one ! But wait ! I win that one ! Oops, i am defeated again."
3) Yeah, everyone knows that americans have the most powerful army in the entire world from afar.
But let me tell you something : americans don't understand the way french actually think.You want to understand the french ? Read this :
When we studied the french history, we learnt at school that every european country dominated the world during a moment, including France. Are we supposed to be proud of it ? Hell, no ! In the same time, people were starving or dying in mass during some stupid and useless war. We weren't having any schools, any freedom, the scientific progress was very slow... Compared to our time, it looks like Dark Age !
At the beginning of the century, France lost 10% of its population in World War I : just imagine, 10 % ! One man out of 5 ! And then, we have not been lucky : an onther world war ! this time 541 000 people die, including 330 000 civilians. One hundred thousand more casualties than the USA, actually. And our whole country bombed : it took us 10 years to fully rebuild.
And the story not ends there. As a european power, France played the european game : "colonize the world, the bigger, the better" Fuck the freedom of every people to decide of their own fate written in our constitution ! So, the indochine war, the algerian war and all that shit...
Would you be proud of it, you ?
Well, French are not. We don't love Napoleon because it almost conquered Europe. Every french knows that he killed hundred of thousands of people in his wars and restore slavery.
We have pride, though. I am proud of the french who fought the Nazi during world war II, in the army or in the resistance. They have been fighting against the odds because they were believing in freedom. Thanks to us, i am living in a democracy and not under a nazi-like dictature.
I am proud of the solidarity of our society, of the technological achievements we made, of our rich and deep culture, of our monuments...
We have a lot of defects : we are arrogant, selfish, stubborn and in a way, more narrow minded and racists than americans than elected a black president.
But we have been learning a lesson : violence and war leads nowhere. Bringing democracy to a country with armies, well, that's bullshit. You would still kill people. Honestly, would you like to see a foreign army killing your country citizens, even if it was to bring democracy ?
This is why we didn't follow you in Iraq. Not because we were cowards but because we were sure that the way it was going to be done would lead to a bloodshed. And French have enough blood on their hands, with our history.
I have ok with americans but if you want me to be in awe of america, just settle your gun issues, your criminality issue and your poverty issue. It is far more impressive and far more difficult than crushing an ennemy with your mighty army.
4) You want a quote ? here is one :
"Everyone talks about dying for an idea. That's funny, no one talks about killing for an idea"
Terry Pratchett.