Polish–French relations date back several centuries although they really became relevant only durimg the French Revolution and the reign of Napoleon I. Poles were allies of Napoleon, and a large Polish community settled in France in the 19th century. The French government sympathized with Polish rebels in 1830 and 1863 but did not intervene. Poland and France were allies during the interwar period from 1919 to 1939. France and Britain declared war on Nazi Germany when it invaded Poland in 1939, but France was accused of failing to act accordingly. The two countries were on opposite sides during the Cold War. Although the Polish Army has never fought against France, repeated accusations of French betrayal has influenced the relations between the two nations. It contributed to a cold attitud