Anti-Americanism in Canada (and on Fnk)

[NinjaBoy]

Originally Posted by fritz

GOOGLE FIGHT!!

Actually I'm a bit of a WW2 nut, so I'm able to pull these out of my head due to sad lonely days spent alone reading.

[Alex]

Holy christ you can't honestly try and claim that France won world war 1. Germany surrendered to the side France happened to be on, largely because the US jumped in to the war near the end and tipped the scales. France was on the brink of utter annihilation, and one of the causes of the war was the fact France held resentment over losing a previous war to Germany(Prussia) and losing territory when they lost.

and I'm referring to the Algerian War. France lost it's colony and it was the first war a European power lost to a non-Turkic muslim group since the crusades, I got my info a bit mixed up.

[ebbomega]

Originally Posted by hardstylin

didnt napoleon conquer most of europe?

First rule of French warfare:
"France's armies are victorious only when not led by a Frenchman."

[diva]

Originally Posted by fritz

GOOGLE FIGHT!!

wiki wiki fight

[ebbomega]

Originally Posted by Alex

Holy christ you can't honestly try and claim that France won world war 1. Germany surrendered to the side France happened to be on, largely because the US jumped in to the war near the end and tipped the scales. France was on the brink of utter annihilation, and one of the causes of the war was the fact France held resentment over losing a previous war to Germany(Prussia) and losing territory when they lost.

and I'm referring to the Algerian War. France lost it's colony and it was the first war a European power lost to a non-Turkic muslim group since the crusades, I got my info a bit mixed up.

You can either look to military victories and defeats, or you can look at political landscape. If you look at the former, France has a bad track record. However, if you look to the latter (which actually defines who governs who, btw) they still maintained a strong international presence all through the preamble and aftermath of the first world war.

To say that they've never been a major world power means that the only history you ever pay attention to is war history, which ignores everything that happens in between those wars.

Franco-Prussian war was a decent amount of time before WWI.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by hardstylin

didnt napoleon conquer most of europe?

ya, and he eventually lost. Not to mention Napolean was born in Italy(Corsica actually, and it was still Italy at the time of his birth)

France employed mass conscription for this war sending everyone to fight. They were so shattered by the time they ran out of steam, their previously successful revolution failed, and the Monarchy was re-instated.

[Alex]

Ya wasn't the Franco-Prussian war like 1870 or something? But they still lost territory to Prussia/Germany... and were still bitter about it. think that's like 40 some odd years between the wars, many people would still be alive and remember the war and how they lost, to resent it still.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by ebbomega

First rule of French warfare:
"France's armies are victorious only when not led by a Frenchman."

Lol you've typed 'french military victories' in to google before and hit 'i'm feeling lucky' before haven't you....

[ebbomega]

^ My fav part of that page has gotta be:

French Revolution
- Won, primarily due the fact that the opponent was also French.

[ebbomega]

Originally Posted by Alex

Ya wasn't the Franco-Prussian war like 1870 or something? But they still lost territory to Prussia/Germany... and were still bitter about it. think that's like 40 some odd years between the wars, many people would still be alive and remember the war and how they lost, to resent it still.

Thing is though, in the time between there and WWI, Germany and France were still pretty much equated with each other insofar as military strength went. That's why there was a near-50-year stalemate before WWI came along. And the only way to break the stalemate was through alliances, and that was ultimately why it became a _world_ war as opposed to just another French & German pissing contest.

[brit]

uh, it pains me to back up this idiot, but France was never considered a super power. A great power yes, but never a super power.

[NinjaBoy]

Originally Posted by brit

uh, it pains me to back up this idiot, but France was never considered a super power. A great power yes, but never a super power.

Technically there have been only two superpowers (it was a cold war term).

I'm pretty sure when they were saying France was never a super power they meant great power. At least I took it as much since saying any country other then America and the former USSR aren't superpowers is like saying "Oh did you know coke isn't technically metal".

I took it as such.

[ash1ee]

USA IS A OK

[Grapes]

Excuse me, why are the merits of the nation of France being decided wholly on their military conquests? (or lack thereof?)

Alex are you not aware that many (MANY) of our civilization's innovations and discoveries in diverse fields like math, chemistry, mapping, philosophy, etc etc etc are owed to France?

Or do you just not value those types of achievements?

I love that, France is "anti american" for about 8 years (I'm sure just co-incidentally the same number of years Bush has been in office) and its entire storied history is thrown out the window because they "never amounted to anything".

Awesome.

[NinjaBoy]

What has France done for anyone in Canada!?!?!

Except basically help found our country...? But what have they done for us lately?

[Grapes]

I'm giving Alex bad karma for every post he made in this thread, all because of that one painfully stupid concept.

[Grapes]

Originally Posted by NinjaBoy

What has France done for anyone in Canada!?!?!

Except basically help found our country...? But what have they done for us lately?

They let Jim party in Paris and were kind enough not to throw him in an oubliette.

[Alex]

Go for it it's not like I come to this board for the karma. rofl.

[Grapes]

Or to properly inform anyone about anything.

Btw watch how "Anti American" France is if/when Barack Obama gets elected.

Which I think brings us full circle to diva's post about Canadians being "anti american".

How much of our "anti-americanism" (I put the term in quotes because I consider it clumsy and essentially inaccurate) is due to our dissatisfaction with the government of the past 8 years?

How much is directed at their captains of industry in particular?

How much is directed not at "the American people", but at a certain KIND of American?.. At what we might call, as Miss South Carolina put it, "U.S. Americans"?

If I'm critical it's because I see something I don't like. If you think I'm being too critical, you'll have to convince me I'm not seeing what I think I'm seeing.

[brit]

Bush said it best, "Your enemy is not surrounding your country—your enemy is ruling your country. And the day he and his regime are removed from power will be the day of your liberation."

[brit]

And uhm, duh, the french have hated the US since the end of the cold war when they became the sole superpower.


And I don't think de gaullists ever cared for america, de gaulle sure didn't.

[NinjaBoy]

Originally Posted by Alex

Go for it it's not like I come to this board for the karma. rofl.

"I only use this board to show how little I know about the world around me!"

[Alex]

Anti Americanism didn't start with Bush.

[brit]

lol, do people actually believe the worst thing America has done is invade Iraq?
The reasons for anti-americanism are endless.

[Alex]

Yes, because fnk represents the great thinkers of our time. *L*

I come on this board to stir the pot, because I honestly think it's pathetic to discuss issues with like minded people. If one lives his/her life speaking with only like minded individuals in agreeance with most issues, said person will become delusional. It's only with debate and various differing opinions that you can truly understand the topic at hand. If youre only aware of one narrow perspective, you lose touch.

I don't necessarily agree with everything I write here. I generally write it for the purpose of argument, to be the devil's advocate. I admit often I will start an argument knowing only bits and pieces of information. I generally will lose said argument, I don't deny that, but I'll still attempt to scramble and prove the points I brought up.

Honestly dude, it's you people who come here to agree with each other on everything that aren't aware of the world around you. I'll continue coming here and wasting time, because I have a lot of it to waste. I'll continue arguing against the trend of this board, because I enjoy doing it. I mean honestly, what are the ramifications for me losing arguments here? You guys won't like me? You guys will insult me? Give me negative karma? Who cares, I'm not friends with anyone on this board nor do I have a desire to make any.