Dutch flag 

The French flag was not inspired by the flag of the Netherlands. This theory put forward by an anonymous user repeatedly in the last days is simply not supported by any proof and seems to be only a (chauvinistic?) guess from that anonymous user. Actually, ironically, I found out that it seems the Netherlands designed their flag in the 17th century based on the blue-white-red colors of the Bourbon of France. According to the French Wikipedia it is King Henry IV of France who suggested these colors to the newly independent Netherlands. Finally, the Netherlands did not have borders with France at the time of the Revolution as the anonymous user wrote. France had borders with the Austrian Low Countries, but not with the independent Netherlands.
 30 June 2005 11:06 (UTC)

The original colours of the Dutch flag were orange, white and blue. King Henry V of France did not suggest to the Netherlands to use red, white and blue. The Dutch started using red because the orange colour was unstable in flag making.

This is not chauvinism. Here are some sources:
http://www.minbuza.nl/default.asp?CMS_ITEM=MBZ460652
http://www.heraldica.org/topics/france/frflag.htm#tricolor
http://www.languedoc-france.info/06141201_tricolore.htm

 11 August 2005 16:19 (UTC)