h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Ah, something to do with the May 68 troubles?

Nope.

Right month if that's any conciliation.

May 60? May 61? May 62? May 63? May 64? May 65? May 66? May 67?

Bet you wish you'd put on dates now.

Keeping to the area of espionage - was it something to do with what the French could see/knew during the Cuban Missile Crisis? If not via satellites, via planes?

Sorry, I should clarify. Right month, wrong everything else.

>Bet you wish you'd put on dates now.<

It's like what they always tell you about job interviews: they're not out to trip you up they want you to succeed.

Likewise, I only seek to punish obviousness.

I'll give out a DGI +1 for espionage.

Are you all in need of a clue?

Most French problems were to do with de Gaulle.

Not this one.

Back from dinner - doing chemistry homework - so I'm around...

was the french problem, that they signed the entent' cordial with britain, effectively shutting america out of european sphere world politicas

There was some odd goings on the with Britain that alarmed the Americans that precipitated the thing that this QI is about.

So...ummm a DGI +1.

but it's not the Entant Cordial.

Is this about the proposed Anglo-French Union that was mooted in the late 40s/early 50s? If that'd come to pass, it would have been a superpower and a real threat to America's ascendency.

Or the French and British sharing nuclear tech/secrets in the late 40s. Obviously the Manhattan project was very much a joint British-American programme and the UK used what it had learned to create its own independent nuclear programme. The USAnians didn't want this being shared with the French, but the French nicked the info anyway.

The sharing of nuclear secrets is correct +3

but what did the Americans do about it (and it's very specific)

<< what did the Americans do about it>>

changed the name of chips from french fries to freedom fries

They performed the appropriate Satanic rituals and brought Dubya Bush forth unto the world. The French reaction at the time was a typically-muted but look at who got the last laugh.

That's the Americans for you - always playing the long game.

Actually there is a surname Bush involved but it's not that lineage.

You bring this upon yourself, you know.

"They changed the name of chips from french fries to freedom fries"

Taff