Presumably, all readers must have learned such a text in elementary school, called "A Letter to Captain Bartley". The letter was a reply from Victor Hugo, the first French writer, to Captain Barthes. Earlier, Barthes led the Anglo-French forces to a great victory in the Second Opium War, and specifically wrote to Hugo to praise their exploits. As a result, hugo ruthlessly denounced him, calling "France" and "England" two robbers.
There is no doubt that the Western powers that have hurt our country the most in modern times are undoubtedly Britain and France. The burning of the Yuanmingyuan by the Anglo-French coalition forces after the end of the Second Opium War alone could become a benchmark in the history of human humiliation. As the saying goes, things are clustered in groups, and people are grouped. These two robber countries still have quite a relationship in history.
In the beginning, the two countries on the European continent had little contact. Until 1066, William, Duke of Norman france, led 12,000 people to invade England, directly destroying Britain, and the Norman Dynasty also owned two pieces of land in Britain and France, and the love and hatred between England and France began.
Of course, the British were not convinced, and as soon as the King of France died, Britain and France launched the Hundred Years' War between England and France, which lasted for more than 100 years. The war was fought from England to Mainland France, where France almost fell and was dominated by the British. However, in the end of the war, the French still gritted their teeth and drove the British back, and both sides lost and the two countries were thus tied.
In modern times, the number one stumbling block that France encountered in opening up colonies around the world was Britain. First the 7 Years' War between England and France, and then the British organized Their European colleagues to resist Napoleon, and there were many bumps between the two countries.
How did two countries, who were so undedealt with, form an alliance during the Second Opium War? The turning point probably came in the Crimean War, which broke out in 1853. In order to fight against the powerful Tsarist Empire, Britain and France shook hands for the first time and made peace, and from then on, the two robbers began to plunder all over the world.
By the end of the 19th century, France was uneasy by the rise of Germany's neighbors. It also became an opportunity for Britain and France to take their relations to a higher level, since the end of World War I and World War II. The two countries became grasshoppers on a rope, and the relationship became incomparably closer. From a hundred years ago to a fierce meeting, to today's iron-blooded allies, the relationship between Britain and France can be described as quite delicate.
After the end of World War II, both countries became one of the five permanent members of the United Nations. In order to show how iron the relationship was, the French had suggested to the British that the two countries should be merged into a superpower, and even the name was thought of, called "Anglo-French Republic".
The reason why France mentioned this is based on historical origins, and the second is that it was more or less stained with the light of British allies in World War II that it drove out the German troops on its own. In addition, if Britain and France were to merge, they should be as strong as the other three permanent members, Russia, China and the United States.
However, thinking of the British with their toes will not agree. This move by the French is tantamount to reminding the British of the Norman conquest 1,000 years ago, when the only time Britain and France merged was the war provoked by the French. In addition, Britain also despises France, the former is a modern "sun never sets" empire, which is willing to condescend to merge with France?
But the French are still obsessed with this, and even repeatedly proposed to the British prime minister, which is also laughable. This act of completely attaching national power to other countries looks indeed extremely embarrassing.
If a country wants to be strong, the most fundamental means is to continuously develop and improve itself. As long as it is strong, it will naturally be respected by other countries, and the new China since the end of World War II is the most perfect example in the world.