In all of the recent flurry of non-blogging, I neglected to make note of an important event in our history--yesterday, October 19, marked the 224th anniversary of Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown, effectively putting an end to British rule.
It might be worth remembering for those folks who wonder why Iraq is taking so long to fix a constitution to remember that it was eight more years after the victory at Yorktown before the United States came into being in its current form, with the ratification of our own Constitution. Also, believe it or not, France was actually instrumental in advancing the birth of a democratic, constitutional republic!
And speaking of our friends the French, October 20 is the 202nd anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase. That was quite a good deal, I must say, and I am quite grateful for it. Because, you know, if we had a bunch of states like Quebec just across the Mississippi, well, you know.
Anyway, there's your old-timey stuff for the day.
Posted by Terry Oglesby at October 20, 2005 09:57 AMAhem. You, sir, are an Americanist.
Posted by: skinnydan at October 20, 2005 01:27 PMGuilty as charged.
There was an almost-interesting article about Nelson and Trafalgar in the last National Geographic. It was instructive to see the effectiveness of highly skilled officers and men when combined with good equipment. The Franco-Spanish fleet had position and numbers and were absolutely outshone by superior seamanship on the part of the British fleet.
Anyway, the whole article was ruined by some specious and fatuous sentence the author threw in there in the first few paragraphs talking about how Napoleon was feared amongst Britons, 'like Osama bin Laden is to us' or some such. You have to be extra special stupid to make such an incongruous, and incorrect, statement such as that.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at October 20, 2005 01:44 PMNot really - you just have to assume your audience is too stupid to appreciate the story as it is without linking it to something current.
The Tyrant of France was a brilliant general who inspired millions to follow him, and I would say he was feared by all Europe. Bin Laden is simply a cowering terrorist. I see the difference, even if they don't.
Posted by: skinnydan at October 20, 2005 02:23 PMOh, and I put up a somewhat lengthy post on Trafalgar over my way.
Posted by: skinnydan at October 20, 2005 02:24 PMGood post, too. As for Nappy, I could see comparing him to a host of other ruthless dictatorial-type folks, but he still operated under the general precepts of warmaking of the time. And once he was defeated, he went off into exile like a good boy. Well, aside from that little incident in 1815. But after that he stayed put.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at October 20, 2005 02:44 PM