Tongue-in-cheek colloquialism particularly popular in the United Kingdom to refer to the act of surrendering - to launch a "French assault" is to surrender. Associated with the surrender of Paris to invading German forces in 1940 and the subsequently collaborationism of the Vichy French Government.
We were all expecting a ruthless barrage that night, but instead the enemy offered little more than a French assault.
by FactFinder May 24, 2014