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

I think the concept of Europe could reasonably be said to date back to circa the roman era, but orcas probably has a good case.
Shall we take a vote on chamberlain?

Frs:

>>Is it seriously being suggested here that the very highest echelons of the British government didn't have a proper handle on the reality on the ground going on in Nazi Germany.



I would say that some of the higher echelons were broadly supportive. Edward VIII. George VI. Lord Halifax. The latter was within a whisker of beating Churchill to the post of prime minister. He was the favourite, in fact, but Churchill pulled off a brilliant coup.

>>I think the concept of Europe could reasonably be said to date back to circa the roman era

I'm unconvinced. What we now call Europe was not necessarily the centre of gravity of the Roman Empire. Just think: when Rome was sacked, what part of the empire survived?

I think the credit for creating Modern Europe goes to Charlemagne. Granted, he saw himself as re-creating the empire.

What does Europe look like from Norway? Or Ireland?

Exactamundo, the europe of the modern world was forged out of the ashes of Rome by germanic/nordic/Slavic invaders.

France = West Francia, Germany = East Frankia, Italy was a mish mash during the middle ages but modern italians are of significant germanic descent (Lombards), Spain was conquered by the Visigoths (followed by muslims and then back again).
Lots of eastern Europe - not ever part of the Roman Empire - was now linked via germanic/slavic people previously outside of civilisation.

Britain, russia, denmark, norway, sweden - nordic/germanic mish mash.

Spain obviously wasn't (solely) forged by the Romans. The Arabs played a large part. Ditto large parts of Italy.

And what about Greece and the Balkans?

Or Hungary?

Considering history is written by the victors it is not surprising that so much has been made of Chamerlain's short-comings and the credit for his foresight claimed by others. In much the same way British leadership during WWI is deried by those who took power after the war, and who took advantage of the situation.

Quite.

Fascism bad, Communism good?

Communism might be alright if someone tried it.

Marxist Leninism was pretty shaky, and once Stalinism was added to the mix it became a complete horror.

Shall I unsub now, or just get very, very drunk?

The Peter Cooke and John Cleese version of 'I have in my hand a piece of paper'

Bloody funny...it also intersperses a bit of the idiot Neville himself...(I didn't realise he also said, 'I was a little boy I was told, if at first you don't succeed, try try again'...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmwmuPTa0To

Blimey, I've just googled up on Neville Chamberlain and discovered that he died in November 1940. Died when the country was at its worst ebb - sad.

He wasn't well during the meetings with Hitler.

I just found the actual newsreel. It has to be the most embarrassing moment in British history.

He comes across as never having being that well really...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO725Hbzfls&feature=related

So, we have pages and pages explaining why Chamberlain was acting in what he though was the best interests of the country, and what we get now is a couple of posts calling him an idiot, an embarrassment and laughing at the fact he was ill?

Magic.

Apologies for a bit of banter Mr603. I assumed h2g2 was still to do with the humorous interspersed with the serious.

Blame it on my mental illness. You recently posted that you thought many here had that problem in your thread with kea. (I thought that was pretty disgusting as something to say..but I left you two to it.)

I'll leave now and let you get on with controlling the style and tone of this thread.

How ill are we talking here? I listed three points I regarded as being in his defence- was 'carrying on even though he really wasn't very well at all' number 4?

>>I assumed h2g2 was still to do with the humorous interspersed with the serious.<<

Where were you being funny? Can't see it at all, especially since you've been quite vocal in your distaste for Chamberlain so the 'idiot' quip doesn't stand out as humorous.

On what do you judge your opinion on his intellect?

Hadn't known Chamberlain was sick and died so soon afterwards. Adds a poignancy to it all: he died when it looked like the UK was losing the war he'd done his utmost to prevent