> The French Third Republic was a democracy in which the military was subordinate to the civilian government. Responsibility flows uphill to the people in charge. When the consequences involve the defeat and occupation of the country, it makes no sense to blame one organization and absolve the people who were in charge of it.

Nobody said that, but it absolutely makes no sense not to blame the military primarily.

How can you blame an organization more than the people responsible for funding and commanding it? If the military’s tech was obsolete, the politicians should have made them upgrade. If the military’s doctrine was bad, the politicians should have made them fix it. If the military’s leaders were bad, the politicians should have fired them and replaced them with better leaders.

It's more than a bit odd to say the generals and admirals (who do command militaries) are not primarily responsible for military results.

Maybe for individual battles. But losing an entire war for the survival of the country is the sort of thing where responsibility goes all the way to the top.

I agree, but not to the exclusion of the staff officers.