or france could have ceased to exist altogether, in two occasions: the hundred year war after Crecy or Azincourt. Or 1940... lets credits Maurice Gamelin with the less than glorious feat of getting a brand new Azincourt in 1940 with a modern army. By july 1940 france was in a dire misery at rock bottom not seen since 1427 when Charles VII kingdom extended to... Bourges. And then pf course "quand la france est perdue un miracle sauve la France" - either Joan of Arc or Charles de Gaulle.