Way off topic, but it has do to with the French

Jay Honeck wrote:
The Italians weren't entirely hard to humiliate in WWII - the tiny
island of Malta humiliated the might of the Italian air force with three
Fairey Swordfish.

True, the Italians were pathetically clumsy in WWII. It's interesting
to note that despite this performance there are few in America who make
"Italian jokes" the way we poke fun at the French.

As a second generation Italian-American on my fathers side I've heard
plenty. But the reason you don't hear as many is because the Italians
don't think they are great warriors.

The best isn't really a joke though. When, during the first Persian Gulf
War, a bunch of Iraqis supposedly surrendered to an Italian news crew
the joke was that they had taken more POWs than the entire Italian Army
during WWII.

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:LOyzj.9517$TT4.6235@attbi_s22...

True, the Italians were pathetically clumsy in WWII. It's interesting to
note that despite this performance there are few in America who make
"Italian jokes" the way we poke fun at the French.


Perhaps because the Italians don't have the arrogance of the French.

On Mar 2, 5:53 pm, "Jay Honeck" wrote:
The list of countries with people that "sat on their hands whilst
under the yoke of the most immoral regime in modern history" includes
Poland, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg,
Yugoslavia, and Greece.

Right, but none of those countries were loudly proclaiming themselves to be
"world powers" and "leaders of the free world", as was the case with France
prior to WWII. Their collapse in the Battle of France was so complete,
quick, and unexpected that their national prestige will probably never
recover.

The truth is that France prissily regarded themselves as a major world power
long after the shine was off her apple. The amazing thing is that they
continue to display this attitude to this day.

Ya gotta admire their chutzpah, I suppose -- but it's what makes them the
butt of jokes here in America.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Perhaps your minor in history didn't cover The Great War, the
Napoleonic Wars, or the Seven Year's War.

Look those up and then come back and discuss France's place in world
history.

My master's in History and I will be waiting.


Dan

" wrote in
:

On Mar 2, 5:53 pm, "Jay Honeck" wrote:
The list of countries with people that "sat on their hands whilst
under the yoke of the most immoral regime in modern history"
includes Poland, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands,
Luxembourg, Yugoslavia, and Greece.

Right, but none of those countries were loudly proclaiming themselves
to be "world powers" and "leaders of the free world", as was the case
with France prior to WWII. Their collapse in the Battle of France
was so complete, quick, and unexpected that their national prestige
will probably never recover.

The truth is that France prissily regarded themselves as a major
world power long after the shine was off her apple. The amazing
thing is that they continue to display this attitude to this day.

Ya gotta admire their chutzpah, I suppose -- but it's what makes them
the butt of jokes here in America.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Perhaps your minor in history didn't cover The Great War, the
Napoleonic Wars, or the Seven Year's War.

Look those up and then come back and discuss France's place in world
history.

My master's in History and I will be waiting.

That's a bit unfair, isn't it? Anyone who has read a pamphlet on world
history knows more than Jay...


Bertie

On Mar 2, 8:22 pm, Bertie the Bunyip wrote:
" wrote :



On Mar 2, 5:53 pm, "Jay Honeck" wrote:
The list of countries with people that "sat on their hands whilst
under the yoke of the most immoral regime in modern history"
includes Poland, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands,
Luxembourg, Yugoslavia, and Greece.

Right, but none of those countries were loudly proclaiming themselves
to be "world powers" and "leaders of the free world", as was the case
with France prior to WWII. Their collapse in the Battle of France
was so complete, quick, and unexpected that their national prestige
will probably never recover.

The truth is that France prissily regarded themselves as a major
world power long after the shine was off her apple. The amazing
thing is that they continue to display this attitude to this day.

Ya gotta admire their chutzpah, I suppose -- but it's what makes them
the butt of jokes here in America.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Perhaps your minor in history didn't cover The Great War, the
Napoleonic Wars, or the Seven Year's War.

Look those up and then come back and discuss France's place in world
history.

My master's in History and I will be waiting.

That's a bit unfair, isn't it? Anyone who has read a pamphlet on world
history knows more than Jay...

Bertie



True, that.

" wrote in
:

On Mar 2, 8:22 pm, Bertie the Bunyip wrote:
" wrote
innews:6a80bb93-cda8-459a-8763-c4a2e03d93a5@
60g2000hsy.googlegroups.co
m:



On Mar 2, 5:53 pm, "Jay Honeck" wrote:
The list of countries with people that "sat on their hands
whilst under the yoke of the most immoral regime in modern
history" includes Poland, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the
Netherlands, Luxembourg, Yugoslavia, and Greece.

Right, but none of those countries were loudly proclaiming
themselves to be "world powers" and "leaders of the free world",
as was the case with France prior to WWII. Their collapse in the
Battle of France was so complete, quick, and unexpected that their
national prestige will probably never recover.

The truth is that France prissily regarded themselves as a major
world power long after the shine was off her apple. The amazing
thing is that they continue to display this attitude to this day.

Ya gotta admire their chutzpah, I suppose -- but it's what makes
them the butt of jokes here in America.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Perhaps your minor in history didn't cover The Great War, the
Napoleonic Wars, or the Seven Year's War.

Look those up and then come back and discuss France's place in
world history.

My master's in History and I will be waiting.

That's a bit unfair, isn't it? Anyone who has read a pamphlet on
world history knows more than Jay...

Bertie



True, that.


Careful! You're feding the troll!

You don't want a reprimand, do you?

bertie

My master's in History and I will be waiting.

That's a bit unfair, isn't it? Anyone who has read a pamphlet on world
history knows more than Jay...

Bertie

True, that.

Oooh boy. Two anonymous mental giants -- one who claims to be a pilot, and
one who claims to be historian?

There goes the neighborhood...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in
news:RNKyj.59012$yE1.4893@attbi_s21:

My master's in History and I will be waiting.

That's a bit unfair, isn't it? Anyone who has read a pamphlet on
world history knows more than Jay...

Bertie

True, that.

Oooh boy. Two anonymous mental giants -- one who claims to be a
pilot, and one who claims to be historian?

There goes the neighborhood


Aw, your little white bread world falling down around your ears?


Bertie

Perhaps your minor in history didn't cover The Great War, the
Napoleonic Wars, or the Seven Year's War.

Look those up and then come back and discuss France's place in world
history.

Wow, that's really impressive. Not.

Try to keep up, please? We weren't talking about France's "place in
history" -- we're talking about their national behavior in World War II,
their current status as a former world power, and their current role as the
butt of much disparaging humor in America.

But it's well and good that you bring it up, since France's legitimate
history as a great power makes their current status more pathetic -- not
less -- and serves to further explain the reasons for their being the target
for jokesters in the US and elsewhere.

Are these jokes fair or appropriate? Often not. But the discussion is
about *why* these jokes exist, not whether or not they are legitimate.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in
news:4ZKyj.6120$TT4.1637@attbi_s22:

Perhaps your minor in history didn't cover The Great War, the
Napoleonic Wars, or the Seven Year's War.

Look those up and then come back and discuss France's place in world
history.

Wow, that's really impressive. Not.

Try to keep up, please? We weren't talking about France's "place in
history" -- we're talking about their national behavior in World War
II, their current status as a former world power, and their current
role as the butt of much disparaging humor in America.


All of which says you're an asshole.


Bertie