Besides the 100 years war (God helped them) Have the French ever won a war? Besides the French Revolution...they can barley beat themselves

Crimean War, although they were fighting alongside Britain, Turkey, and Sardinia.

They won ww1.(With help.) But generally the French dont win many wars.

Besides the 100 years war (God helped them) Have the French ever won a war? Besides the French Revolution...they can barley beat themselves

one could argue that they were on the winners side in both WW I+II. also under Napoleon they beat the crap out of half of Europe

one could argue that they were on the winners side in both WW I+II

That would be a debatable argument.

The French were clearly conquered in WW2, and rather quickly at that. French resistance forces did take part in some battles alongside the allies or otherwise, but I wouldn't consider it a French victory at all.

With WW1, you could argue that France fought Germany to a stalemate before help arrived, and therefore say that it counts only as a tie. Indeed, even after France "won", the battlefront was still on French territory.

30 years war
war of devolution 1667
war of grand alliance 1688
war with austria 1859
off top of my head

to their credit, france lost alot because they WERE the strongest nation--2-3 powers would join to oppose them.

Is that just another French-bashing thread?
Have a look how small France was around 1000AD (and how large Germany). Then, look again at the end of the 18th century. Notice a difference?
Burgundy, parts of Flandry, Aquitaine, Savoy, Nice, Corsica, Brittany, Alsace, Lorraine...they didn't even have to fight for most of the time, they were simply so powerful nobody put up resistance.

That would be a debatable argument.

The French were clearly conquered in WW2, and rather quickly at that. French resistance forces did take part in some battles alongside the allies or otherwise, but I wouldn't consider it a French victory at all.

With WW1, you could argue that France fought Germany to a stalemate before help arrived, and therefore say that it counts only as a tie. Indeed, even after France "won", the battlefront was still on French territory.

I just said there were on the winners side, not that they are winners ;)

pawpaw is exactly right; the French fought a great multitude of wars with great ferocity, and often won them despite being arrayed against multiple powers at once. Indeed, the odds were stacked against them; the typical European war of the 17th-18th centuries had the French with a few minor allies against at least 2 or three major powers. They fought and defeated Austria, Spain, England, Netherlands, Germany, and Italian states many times. They managed to keep Spain in the 18th century despite the fact that no less than Prussia, Austria, England, Germany, and essentially the rest of western europe were fighting them.

France was and is perhaps the most resilient country in western warfare, fighting many enemies and coming out, if not victorious, still intact. And unlike other countries that have done this, they managed it time after time. The only times a complete defeat has been imposed on france (IIRC) are World War 2, the Napoleanic wars, and the Franco Prussian war.

France Won WWI, in my opinion (they held the line), but in recent years they have had their failings-Indochina and Algeria, for example can be compared to Vietnam and Korea.

France Won WWI, in my opinion (they held the line), but in recent years they have had their failings-Indochina and Algeria, for example can be compared to Vietnam and Korea.

most people tend to see french military history in terms of the last 100 years, not the fact they were a top world power for over @ 800 years.

France was and is perhaps the most resilient country in western warfare, fighting many enemies and coming out, if not victorious, still intact. And unlike other countries that have done this, they managed it time after time. The only times a complete defeat has been imposed on france (IIRC) are World War 2, the Napoleanic wars, and the Franco Prussian war.

7 years war (French and Indian War) was also a French defeat.

But I agree with your point.

7 years war (French and Indian War) was also a French defeat.

But I agree with your point.

Not a complete defeat. The only things france lost (IIRC) were the colonies (unless they lost the spanish crown as well... When did they do that?). They still retained quite a bit, and in Europe they were still the strongest single nation.

France always seems to come out, if not unscathed, at least intact. Even in defeat.

We all agree, France is a good traditional loser.

France was always the biggest power in Europe (along with Austria) during the middle ages. At times Spain was powerful and later Germany and Britain but France usually reigned supreme.

Question more or less answered. French-baiting ends.