Posted on 09/13/2009 2:23:05 AM PDT by OldSpice
The British tend to forget about the importance of Germany, our most significant European partner. There are, of course, memories of the world wars of the 20th Century.
Relatively few British people speak German; we like to enjoy Mediterranean holidays, so we have come to know the French, Italians and Spanish.
Yet Germany is a stable Northern democracy and a major trading partner. The sale of Opel and Vauxhall, which make up the the European branch of General Motors, this week demonstrated the significance of German bargaining power
Historically, Britain and Germany have had a more significant relationship than many British - or German --people realise. Since 1714, we have had a German dynasty on the British throne. The House of Windsor is the successor to the House of Hanover. What people do not realise is that Britain's German or Austrian alliances in the 18th Century were essential to the creation of the British Empire. Our Germanic links on the Continent allowed Britain to defeat France in colonial wars. One can see this record in wars that were decisive.
During the reign of Louis XIV, one of our greatest generals, the Duke of Marlborough, fought the famous Battle of Blenheim (1704) and defeated the French. His ally was Prince Eugene, who was born in Paris but had become an Austrian general leading an Austrian army.
In 1756, at the beginning of the Seven Years' War, Britain signed a treaty with Prussian emperor Frederick the Great. While Britain won a series of campaigns against the French in Canada, India and the West Indies, Frederick defeated the French in Europe. If the French had been free to move their troops to fight the British outside Europe, our empire might have been stillborn.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Europe is, was and forever will be a giant turmoil.
But we Europeans have survived century after century of wars, disease and stupid ideologies like Socialism.
Yes, Britain and German should unite.
Just like all of Western Civilization must unite or die.
Thanks to the unparalleled strength of our traditions, our knowledge, our vast economic resources, our know how and our believes Western Civilization of today is stronger than ever.
Greetings from Scandinavia, a part of the world that doesn't hesitate to produce Muhammad cartoons,
WesternCulture
I think the strength of Europe and the West comes from independent centers of power, bickering, competing, cooperating and trying to outdo the other guy.
It's the radical Muslims who want unity, to bring all Muslims within the Califate.
But it depends on what you mean by unity.
>> Most Germans see the European Constitution as that of a bureaucratic state justified in terms of the philosophy of Georg Hegel, who believed the group, that is the state, was more important than the individual. The British, on the other hand, see Europe as a liberal democratic alliance, which can be described in terms of John Locke and America’s Declaration of Independence. <<
And where, dear Swedish FRiend, do the Scandinavians stand in this matter? With Locke? Or with Hegel?
Related story:
What do I mean by “unity”?
Today the Western World is disunited.
Why should we carry on with our internal, eternal strives and quarrels?
Instead, “..let us go forward together with our united strength”
Thank you, Churchill!
What do you mean by unity?
“What do you mean by unity?”
- Apparently, you take pride in being nuttier than squirrel sh*t.
What is the point of behaving according to outdated social criteria?
I wholeheartedly support what you are up to.
“And where, dear Swedish FRiend, do the Scandinavians stand in this matter? With Locke? Or with Hegel?”
My response is this:
“Every man must look after his own house”
The ancient Romans called us Vikings “Competent Ship-builders” as an omen of what what was to come.
Every culture has its strengths and its weaknesses.
Norse culture is alive.
Stalin and Hitler are dead, gone and buried.
In German, there are two different words for united: Vereinten Nationen = United Nations and Die Vereinigten Staaten = the United States. I think we can agree that the United Nations, really aren't and the United States really are.
So, what do you mean by united? Simple question, could be complicated answer. I don't think we need to unite the West into a single country. I'm not sure what you mean.
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