I NEED SOME HELP IN UNDERSTANDING FRENCHMEN.

The number of collaborators with enemies in France was quite comparable, if not larger.

Everyone is. French people tended to be the most promiscuous among the European nations (at least, this is the common prejudice), but this does not characterize in any way their love skills; absence of moral brakes would be more relevant definition.

There was a very active underground during the Nazi occupation of France.

Many brave French men and women lost their lives because of their activities in the underground.

The French are thought to be sexy, just because the French language is a very sexy language, relative to plain, unsexy, English.

Recently, the US intelligence started permitting leakage of information that indicates that Iraqi and French presidents were personal friends. Besides this, France assisted to Iraq to circumvent the sanctions regime, and it was afraid that this may be disclosed after the Iraqi regime is replaced. And of course, oil-related interests of French companies also played their role.

The French have produced some very famous scientists over the past centuries.

steiisd

This is not my thread, but I'm acting in this category as 'Content Specialist'.

The category 'Europe' is actually not thought to be a (primarily) category of political discussion.



If mapleleaf as creator of this topic wants such, I suggest that the thread is moved to e.g. 'Politics'.

OK, you surely can move it to the relevant forum; I do not think that this will somehow influence the essence of the discussion on the issue. By the way, I did not search it under the headline "Europe" or any other — it appeared in the "Last postings".

You must use a different software than I do, steissd.
Here, it came up under ' New Posts' and the Forum 'Europe'.

Howver, it's to mapleleaf to decide where this goes - and/or to a moderator.

OK Walter, do your thing.

I really don't think they're much different from us. Maybe the cream sauces, which we all seem to have cut back on.

Walter, I'm not so sure this is political. My opinion is that mapleleaf wrote this at least partly in jest.

Well, Germany, USSR and USA produced not less than France did. Sir Isaac Newton was British, Albert Einstein was born in Switzerland and lived in Germany and USA, Pavlov was Russian/Soviet citizen, Robert Koch, Paul Ehrlich, Wehrner von Heisenberg, Wilhelm Konrad Röntgen, Werner von Braun were Germans, Messrs. Watson and Crick were Americans, and Sir Alexander Flemming lived and died in the UK, etc.
Regarding sexiness of the language: IMO, je vous aime does not sound sexier than I love you.

My software is the same (it is defined by CdK, and not by me), but I prefer another method of search.

mama

That's what I thought -and hoped until I saw the first responses- too.

Watson and Crick were WHAAATTT?

And not dead yet I don't think.

Well, McTag, all my sources say

"Abert Einstein, born 14 March 1879 in Ulm, Württemberg, Germany",

but .... it's part of steissd's argumentation.

Sorry, in this case you are right. He studied in Switzerland, and I have erroneously concluded that he was a Swiss national that later moved to Germany. The opposite thing is right. Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.
Regarding Watson and Crick, I have never claimed that they were dead.

The French are the people the world loves to hate. Just another generalization to add to the list.

*The people are stubborn.

I'd change i to "people are stubborn".

*Frenchman do not like to speak English.

Understandable considering several factors:

a) they have had wars with wha is now Britain and both sides have imposed their language on each other. English contains many French derivates (up to 40% of the language) due to Norman invasions.

b) French used to be the global standard.

c) France has a very artistic culture in comparison to the more commercial American culture. And ours is winning the culture struggles and refusal to speak English in France is one of their tactics.

Incidentally French are famous for learning the language of the nations they visit. I guess it's turnabout.

*They are lovers.

There are lots of studies about sexual stereotypes. Seems humans have a tendency to think other cultures are exotic.

*Cream sauces and food are important.

Legendary food... so much so that it's probably overrated.

*They had active rebel groups during the world wars.

Yes.

*They prefer to lead whether than be a part of a group of countries.

Everyone likes to lead. Even those who feign neutrality use the neutrality to lead.

*Their President lead the opposition against the Iraqi invasion.

He was vocal, but by no means the leader or a minority voice. Just the most villified. Everyone loves to hate them so if you want to make it look like the world agreed with the war but there was one rogue nation that blocked it in the UN it's good strategy to focus on the French and ignore that the world's population was overwhelmingly against the war.

Has anyone here lived in France? That might alter one's view...