French Army
Napoleon's fighting force
The French Army is the land-based military force of France, one of the oldest and largest in Europe.
It has played central roles in major conflicts from the Napoleonic Wars through both World Wars.
In casual speech, "French Army" sometimes appears in jokes about military surrender, referencing France's rapid defeat in 1940—a stereotype that ignores the country's extensive military history.
Mid-sized military unit
- regimentColonel-led military unit
- brigadeLarge military unit
- divisionSplitting into parts
- corpsMilitary unit or group
platoon · squadron · infantry · artillery · cavalry · armor · paratrooper · dragoon
Flat-topped visored military cap
- beretFlat wool cap
- epaulettesOrnamental shoulder insignia
- fatiguesMilitary duty uniform
- camouflageConcealment through visual blending
insignia · badges · medals · ribbons · tunic · dress blues · tricolor · cockade
French emperor, military genius
- WaterlooCrushing, decisive defeat
- AusterlitzDecisive Napoleonic victory site
- VerdunWWI battleground city
- SommeFrench river, WWI battlefield
Maginot Line · Franco-Prussian War · Indochina · Algeria · de Gaulle · Vichy · revolution · Bastille
Boldness before danger
- courageFortitude facing danger
- heroismExceptional courage under duress
- gallantryCourage, especially in combat
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
fortitude · honor · duty · resilience · steadfastness · tenacity · prowess · daring
Deliberate tactical movement
- flankingAt the sides of
- siegeEncirclement forcing surrender
- reconnaissanceInformation-gathering before action
- encirclementSurrounding enemy forces completely
ambush · counterattack · offensive · defense · logistics · deployment · operation · campaign
Voluntary entry into service
- volunteersUnpaid willing workers
- expatriatesPeople living outside homeland
- esprit de corpsShared pride among members
- brotherhoodKinship among men
camaraderie · oath · allegiance · adventure · induction · service · desert · anonymity
battalion
Mid-sized military unit
corps · platoon · squadron · infantry · artillery · cavalry · armor · paratrooper · dragoon · grenadier
kepi
Flat-topped visored military cap
- beretFlat wool cap
- epaulettesOrnamental shoulder insignia
- fatiguesMilitary duty uniform
camouflage · insignia · badges · medals · ribbons · tunic · dress blues · tricolor · cockade · sash
Napoleon
French emperor, military genius
- WaterlooCrushing, decisive defeat
- AusterlitzDecisive Napoleonic victory site
- VerdunWWI battleground city
Somme · Maginot Line · Franco-Prussian War · Indochina · Algeria · de Gaulle · Vichy · revolution · Bastille · colonialism
bravery
Boldness before danger
- courageFortitude facing danger
- heroismExceptional courage under duress
- gallantryCourage, especially in combat
sacrifice · fortitude · honor · duty · resilience · steadfastness · tenacity · prowess · daring · intrepidity
maneuver
Deliberate tactical movement
- flankingAt the sides of
- siegeEncirclement forcing surrender
- reconnaissanceInformation-gathering before action
encirclement · ambush · counterattack · offensive · defense · logistics · deployment · operation · campaign · intelligence
enlistment
Voluntary entry into service
- volunteersUnpaid willing workers
- expatriatesPeople living outside homeland
- esprit de corpsShared pride among members
brotherhood · camaraderie · oath · allegiance · adventure · induction · service · desert · anonymity · tradition
marshal
Arrange in proper order
- generalWidespread, not specialized
- colonelSenior military officer
- commandantOfficer overseeing military post
capitaine · lieutenant · officer · adjutant · brigadier · cadre · staff
- DunkirkDunkirk spirit, evacuation routes, rescue boats, Dunkerque, channel crossing
- European MilitaryBundeswehr, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, German Navy, Luftwaffe
- WWI militarytrenches, ANZAC, trench warfare, Tommies, Western Front
- France 1940Dunkirk, Maginot Line, Ardennes, panzer, Luftwaffe
- French militarylegionnaires, chasseurs, gendarme, legionnaire, cuirassiers
- Napoleonic WarsNapoleon Bonaparte, Bonaparte, Napoleonic Wars, Waterloo, Trafalgar
French ArmyWehrmacht
Nazi Germany's armed forces
German Army · British Army · Bundeswehr · Red Army · U.S. Army
army, France, French, Army, Francophone, Frenchman, Frenchwoman, Frenchness