French or Foe? (continued)

National Interests

In this flap, both the U.S. and France acted out of what they perceived to be their own interests, whether they said so or not, but both also acted according to the principles of their culture. Americans, convinced that their mission is universal, just and right, felt that since their power was dominant, their allies should agree with them and fall in line. The French, who have also always been convinced of their own mission of leading the side of the just and the fair, and who have long been worried about what they perceive as the one remaining superpower's "unilateralism", were shocked that the U.S. demanded obedience from its allies — turning them into vassals not unlike Soviet satellites.

	Recent displays in the U.S. resemble protest action against Germany during World War I, when sauerkraut was renamed liberty cabbage and frankfurters became hot dogs.

As William Pfaff put it in a recent column, the French "are interested in a slow development of civilized and tolerant international relations, compromising on problems while avoiding catastrophes along the way." During the height of French domination of Europe, the French 17th century mathematician-sage Blaise Pascal, fearful of the law of the jungle, put it like this: "If there can be no justice without force, there must likewise be no force without justice."

What is new in this quarrel is the virulence of the American anti-French smears and ridicule, seen in Europe as a measure of this administration's determination to dominate or destroy. In their often stormy love affair — and it is indeed a love affair, with strong passions sliding from time to time on both sides perilously close to hatred — France and the U.S. behaved like an old married couple who have adored each other for 50 years but argue interminably every day about trivia.

In the past, the Franco-American flaps have been either commercial, about bananas, genetically modified corn, beef with hormones, etc., or diplomatic — the southern command of NATO, the choice of the head of the U.N., the supposed snub of French Foreign Minister Charette to American State Department Secretary Christopher. But this time, the accusations are acrimonious and irresponsible to the point of slander, and almost all have been coming at the French.

Allies In the Pursuit of Liberty

The French are not "flabby" and they're not "cowards." Just to cite their 20th century conflicts, their bravery has been a matter of record in two world wars, Indochina, Algeria, Chad, the Gulf War, Kosovo, Afghanistan and the Ivory Coast. On May 16, in an unprecedented letter addressed to the White House, the Pentagon, the State Department and several leading U.S. newspapers, the French ambassador to the U.S. denounced the disinformation and lies about his country in the American media, including the insinuation that the French government gave French passports to Iraqi leaders so that they could escape the country.

As for the so-called ingratitude of the French toward American soldiers fighting in France in two world wars, one has only to go to the war memorial in Normandy to see how much the French appreciate American aid... and to remember that the French themselves lost over 120,000 soldiers in the Second World War and another 500,000 civilians in the Resistance, on top of their almost 2 million soldiers killed in World War I.

	© French-American Chamber of Commerce

Speaking of memories, do Americans remember that it was the French treasury and its army and navy — 44,000 men under Rochambeau — who joined the American colonists to defeat the English during the American Revolution, leaving 6,000 dead French soldiers on American soil? And do they remember how — in 1793 — President Washington broke the Franco-American treaty of 1778 and refused to help the French revolutionaries in their war against England? France felt doubly betrayed: by the breaking of the treaty, and by their allied republic's refusal to help in what they saw as their common cause: the war liberating Europeans from crowned heads.

France has never been a docile ally, but an independent one with strong convictions of its own, and the only constant ally throughout U.S. history. A demonstration that France understood all too well the American trauma of the September 11 terrorist attacks, was President Chirac's immediate flight — the first one by a head-of-state — to the side of George W. Bush.

Terrorist bombs have been exploding in France for years. Armed guards bristling with automatic weapons have been patrolling the airports. The gleaming, elegant metal trash cans on Paris street corners have been replaced by transparent plastic bags. That grand symbol of Paris, the Eiffel Tower, is still standing thanks to both the French secret service and anti-terrorist forces, who overpowered Algerian terrorists in 1994 while their hijacked plane refueled in Marseilles.

A Time For Reconciliation

I have no doubt that the two countries will kiss and make up. They must. Franco-American cooperation in intelligence gathering since 9/11 has bolstered security and is vital in the war against terrorism, which may persist for years. Let's hope the imperial threats of Colin Powell and others that "France must pay" for its opposition to the Iraq invasion is just ephemeral rhetoric. Because of their different cultures, rather than in spite of them, the two countries need each other more than ever in a world grown more and more interdependent and threatening.

Platt's second book, Savoir-Flair, 211 Tips for Enjoying France and the French (first published in July 2000 and now in its second printing), is a natural complement to French or Foe?. Her last book, Love à la française – What happens when Hervé meets Sally?, was published in 2008.

Platt and her husband, Alexander Grchich, a Serb who was a high UNESCO official, have 14 grandchildren — seven of them French. Polly died of pneumonia and heart failure on December 26, 2008 in Vienna, Austria. Learn more...

Related Links

Cooperative Space Programs Cooperation between the French and U.S. space programs has resulted in significant advancements in the understanding of such phenomena as El Niño, climate changes, and seismology. France Bankrolls the American Revolution King Louis XVI of France granted financial and military aid that was instrumental in the American colonies gaining independence from Great Britain. Regrettably, this aid also bankrupted France's treasury, which may have helped to precipitate his execution under the guillotine. France Revisited: Let's Fall In Love Again In response to declining tourism of Americans in France, the French Government Tourist Office has mounted an aggressive campaign, including a short film entitled "Let's Fall in Love Again" featuring Woody Allen, Daniel Boulud, Wynton Marsalis, and George Plimpton, among others. French-American Relations The French Embassy reviews alliances between France and America which have spanned more than 200 years, with an historical look at economic & cultural ties, scientific & technological cooperation, treaties & agreements, and an article entitled, "From Lafayette to D-Day: Two Centuries of Friendship." The French Contribution to the American War of Independence Sue Felshin of MIT maintains a site about the 85ème Régiment de Saintonge, one of the regiments of the French army which contributed to the final defeat of the British at Yorktown. Learn about the many ways in which French forces were instrumental in winning the American Revolution, both by land and by sea. U.S. Congress Opts for "Freedom Fries" A news article from the BBC reports that cafeterias in the House of Representatives will be serving "freedom fries" as part of a Republican protest over France's opposition to the war in Iraq. Jose Serrano (D-NY) described the move as "petty grandstanding". Woody Allen Goes French For Peace U.S. film director and comedian Woody Allen has made an advert for France in which he calls on Americans to put anti-French sentiments behind them. (Watch CNN video.)

Recommended Books

French Or Foe? by Polly Platt, Ande Grchich (Illustrator) (Average customer review: 4 stars) A revealing and often humorous look at the differences between French and Anglo-Saxon cultures, including many tips on how not to behave like the "ugly" tourist, and the most important phrases to guarantee a welcoming reception.

French Toast by Harriet Welty Rochefort (Average customer review: 3.5 stars) Written by an American ex-pat who has lived in France over 20 years (and married a Frenchman), this book "celebrates the maddening mysteries of the French."

Savoir Flair! by Polly Platt, Ande Grchich (Illustrator) (Average customer review: 4.5 stars) 211 Tips for Enjoying France and the French: an indispensable guide packed with tips on everything from how to charm waiters into giving you a better meal to the etiquette of hosting a business lunch.

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