Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy often wore platform shoes and stood on boxes to compensate for his height deficiency. Along comes his successor Francois Hollande, who might do well to follow Sarkozy’s tricks. It seems that the French have fondness for diminutive leaders, at least back to Napoleon.

Hollande made a visit to London where he toured the famous Coldstream Guards. The Guards are the oldest regiment in the British Army with a continuous service. They also have a glorious past, which includes a critical role defeating the French at Waterloo in 1815. They then occupied Paris until 1816.

The British and French may have been close allies for the last 100 years, but Waterloo is not easily forgotten nor the occupation of Paris.

Critics of Hollande blasted the President for looking like a dwarf as he toured the Guards with their tall, black headgear. Even without the head coverings, Hollande was still the shortest person around. The prideful French were not pleased to see their President looking like a midget. Some charged that Hollande fell into a British trap.