France's military performance in WW I was outstanding. The only way to win was to take massive casualties. They incurred the massive casualties and won. Very few of the world's 193 or so countries will ever be able to summon what we might "collective national will and capacity for sacrifice" (for any purpose) to the degree France did in WW I.
(Russia and the Soviet Union have also performed outstandingly in war, but the French government treats its citizens much better much more consistently than Russia or the Soviet Union ever have.)
(Russia and the Soviet Union have also performed outstandingly in war, but the French government treats its citizens much better much more consistently than Russia or the Soviet Union ever have.)