Nowhereman24 posted...The French defeated the Germans at Verdun and at the First and Second Battles of the Marne and then played a large roll in the 100 days offensive. They won the decisive battles that really mattered.
The battle of Verdun could barely be called a victory and the first and second battles of Marne were fought with allied forces. You literally listed one battle out of dozens that were fought where France could be said to have achieved a victory. Almost every single other battle, that did not include allied forces, was a draw or a loss.
Battle of the Frontiers
Battle of the Ardennes
First Battle of the Aisne
Battle of Champagne
Third Battle of Artois
Battle of the Somme
Second Battle of the Aisne
Third Battle of the Aisne
Are just a few of the battles they lost or came to a draw in. You literally have one battle, where victory was dubious as both sides suffered heavy casualties, as an example for France "defending itself".