re: #11 andres

Actually, that one started during WWII: France was easily conquered by Nazi Germany. Nevermind that they fought tooth and nail to win it back, nor that WWI left the French army in a weak spot regarding the advancements that occurred between both WW.

Edit: IIRC.

I have read popular accounts, newspapers, etc. I find no evidence that Americans made fun of the French before the 1980s for losing WW2.

The French lose every war meme was something that came about because France refused fly over rights to the American raid on Qaddafi. I know that’s hard to believe but it is the event that caused that “French are cheese eating surrender monkey’s meme” to be born.