3 ms·
The French took basically the exact opposite approach to the British in terms of post-WW2 foreign policy. I think partly because of the shared language British
by ifwinterco 7mo ago
The French took basically the exact opposite approach to the British in terms of post-WW2 foreign policy.
I think partly because of the shared language British elites were able to convince themselves that the US is just like us, and the so called "special relationship" sort of preserved British power albeit as an extremely junior partner riding on the coattails of the US.
With the French there was no such delusion and they've never seen eye to eye with the Americans, they've just been biding their time waiting for this all to play out.
In hindsight, the French were right of course (they usually are as much as it pains me to say it)
- jacquesm 7mo agoAll this is very funny if you take into account how the United States originated.
- ifwinterco 7mo agoWhat's going on right now makes a lot more sense when you consider that what's now the US was populated not so much by people of English descent, but specifically super religious Protestants who were often causing trouble. Part of the solution to Europe's wars of religion was to pack off some of the most swivel-eyed ones to the new world to let them build their New Jerusalem there, and it worked for a bit
- polothesecond 7mo agoEven as an American reading some diaries of English colonists provided a lot of insight into the culture to this day. I remember one where a man decided to move to America to escape religious persecution. Of course said religious persecution was his neighbors laughing and dancing and enjoying themselves.
- ifwinterco 7mo agoIt often gets somewhat glossed over in modern secular readings of history but the Protestant Reformation is one of the most important events in European (and Western more broadly) history. We're still feeling the reverberations of Martin Luther (allegedly) nailing his theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg today