The assistance of France was indeed vital to the success of the American Revolution, and the French were regarded very positively by Americans all through the 1800s because of it...and right up until their unfortunate defeat in 1940 by the new German blitzkrieg tactics. Their military prowess was much admired prior to WWII.

Now there is a popular American myth that the French can't fight and are cowards. NOT TRUE! The French fought very hard in 1940, lost over 200,000 men in desperate combat with the invading Germans, but were utterly unable to deal with the revolutionary new German military tactics which would have defeated any army in the world at that time, given relatively even odds on the battlefied in terms of numbers.

It seems rather sad to me that America's longstanding admiration and affection for French courage has recently been replaced by this post-WWII denigration of French capabilities.

If you read Mark Twain, for example, his admiration for the French is notable, while the British are still held in considerable suspicion. Interesting how these things change in the wake of one war or another...former enemies soon become new allies and friends...former friends are soon scorned.