To: The Rittenhouse Review
From: F.E.
Date: February 14, 2003
While it seems to be a pastime that will not die, mocking the French for military ineptitude ignores a great deal of reality.
To use only their experience in World War II, the French army took almost 600,000 casualties (including Free French forces) during the invasion by Nazi Germany, 250,000 of them KIAs [killed in action]. Consider that this took place over the course of about one month, and compare those losses to the 900,000 casualties the U.S. army suffered over the course of the entire war.
Certainly there were strategic miscalculations on the part of French war-planners, but these were shared by a great number of European countries at the time that also capitulated quickly after being attacked. We never hear about those cowardly Poles, Danes, Belgians, Dutch, or Norwegians while the chest thumping is going on.
Just a thought.
I enjoy your site a great deal. Thank you.
Signed,
F.E.