History Today; Rhyme, Rhmye Away

Over centuries Britain has stood against Continental pretensions. For 25 years she managed and manipulated alliances against French Anarchy and the Corsican Tyrant. Later of course she stood fast against German Imperialism and Nazism. She was America's first partner in the Cold War.

To stop the Continental behemoth Britain allied with the Germans against the French and later the French against the Germans and finally the Americans, French and Germans against the Russians.

Often her own elites waned to give in. Arguably the most important event in British 20th century history was Churchill's June cabinet meeting after the Fall of France. The wobblies seemed to be ascendant. Led by Lord Halifax, the wobblies waned to make a deal with Hitler. Winston told them he'd rather die face down choking in his own blood. During the Battle of Britain a favorite parlor game was 'Will he go Nazi?' Surely many of the toff and posh would have. Country is one thing, social status quiet another.

History doesn't repeat but it rhymes, someone said. Francis Fukayama said that the end of the Cold War brought the End of History. Well, here is history rhyming. Britain is standing fast against the Continental Pretensions of France and Germany and their elites are wobbly.

Is the Continent really that different today? France and Germany maneuvering, the Low Countries worried and looking to Britain. Even Russia is still there, pressing in from the east and fighting for its own interests. There is even a Turkish Question.

We never thought Britain would actually vote to leave the EU, but there it is. Europe looks much as it did a hundred, two hundred years ago. We suspect that in a hundred years time it will look the same.