Common myths #122 – America saved Europe

On BBC Breakfast this morning there was a feature about how France and the US might be about to repair their damaged relations. Reporting from New Orleans, the journalist spoke to a number of Americans about how they felt about France. Most people seemed to recognise that the two countries would always be allies – through good times and bad. But one giant fallacy has permanently poisoned this friendship – and perhaps goes a long way to explaining the dislike of Americans held by many citizens in western Europe.The story goes "We saved their country – they should be grateful. I can't believe they wouldn't help us in our time of need."

The premises of this argument are (1) the USA saved Europe from the scourge of Nazism;
(2) because of this act of salvation, Europe owes the USA a debt of gratitude;
(3) this gratitude would be best expressed by supporting any and all military action proposed by the USA, even sixty years later.

(1) When considering the story of the second world war, it is easy to focus on the mythology of the war rather than what actually happened. By the time the USA entered the war, Hitler had lost his main weapon – the element of surprise. The Blitzkrieg had been very successful, but it had failed when Germany attempted to invade the UK. American citizens (though not the US government) assisted in the defence of England, as did Indians, Africans, Canadians and Carribeans. With the Battle of Britain won, a stalemate ensued which was only changed by Hitler's insistence on trying to invade the USSR. Russia did more to defeat Germany than any other nation – and by the time the US organised and assisted with the re-invasion of the continent, British troops had won the large African victories necessary to knock Italy out of the war. It's not that we don't think the Americans helped us – we know that – but when Americans claim that without them we'd be speaking German, they're simply wrong.

(2) The good Samaritan does not seek gold after helping people. If America, as we are so fond of being told, did the honourable thing by leaping to our aid at the last moment – when we stood on the brink of darkness – why can't they do the honourable thing now and stop banging on about it? Do you help your friends out because you want to help them, because you can see the value in making friends, or because you can gain strategic power? This is a purely moral issue, and I don't fool myself that the US really stepped in out of anything approaching altruism. It ought to be clear therefore that the Americans surely have their reward – a western Europe largely dependent on them, consuming their exports, housing their military bases, drinking their Coca Cola, and generally not being communists for fifty years. What more can they ask for?

(3) Does a true friend always agree with you, even if he knows you are utterly wrong and misguided? I think that the answer to this question must surely be no. The suggestion that because America assisted Europe defeat the evil of Nazism, Europe should comply with and assist in the invasion of Iraq is completely fallacious. Firstly, there was never any agreement, formal or otherwise, stating that France would participate in such military action. Secondly, the French explained time and time again their reasons for not supporting the invasion: the evidence of WMDs was too sparce, the evidence concerning aiding terrorism was non-existent. Iraq was a war of vengeance for the Americans: your people attacked New York, therefore we will rain fire and death down upon your whole region. Except the Saudis, of course. The French, ever in favour of more – shall we say – diplomatic measures were never going to show much interest in America's war.

Just how long can America continue to claim a debt from Europe? 200 years? Longer?
Maybe then they could consider the role the French played in assisting the American side during the war of Independence? Perhaps we will hear La Marseillaise playing out on Pennsylvania Avenue one day in the future.

February 21, 2005 | 'Terror'

Comments

2 Responses to “Common myths #122 – America saved Europe”

Erik on March 14th, 2010 5:46 pm

This is a great article! There is so much anti-Europeanism in the U.S., judging by venomous comments made on the Internet or in other medias. I hope more articles like this will appear, in order to set people in the U.S. straight on how misinformed they are on certain issues.

Like or Dislike: 0 0
anonymous on April 11th, 2007 10:05 am

THANKYOU!
The Americans convince themselves they are "the first to fight" yet how can they be when they join the war 2-3 years in?

Like or Dislike: 0 0