France objects to "Waterloo" coin?

[Tonus]

I have to admit, all I know about that battle is that the dictator Napoleon lost that battle. So maybe someone with more of a history background dumb it down for me and explain why the French would object to a coin noting the defeat of a dictator? I guess I am missing something here.

http://popist.com/s/9b86f13/

They probably wanted to put the words "I was defeated; you won the war" along the edge of the coin.

[Crossless2.0]

I have to admit, all I know about that battle is that the dictator Napoleon lost that battle. So maybe someone with more of a history background dumb it down for me and explain why the French would object to a coin noting the defeat of a dictator? I guess I am missing something here.

http://popist.com/s/9b86f13/

They probably wanted to put the words "I was defeated; you won the war" along the edge of the coin.

I have it on good authority that the words were "Nyah, nyah, nyah" rendered in English, German, and Dutch.

[vorlon13]

At least they left out "cheese eating surrender monkeys"*. My goodness gracious, people, count your blessings !!



*I assume the weird latin bit on the reverse doesn't say that

[Brian37]

I'd be curious to know if this is a sentiment shared throughout France or if it is something that resonates only with the far right.  I have a hard time believing that dyed-in-the-wool republicans would get their panties in a twist over a commemoration of Napoleon's downfall on a coin, though I suppose one must make allowances for nationalist pride, however misplaced it might be in this case.

After reading all the responses, the "national pride" explanation comes close but even then, come on. I cant wrap my head around that unless you support a dictatorship. I see where it is coming from but seriously, I would verbally bitch slap any Frenchmen getting upset about it with "Hey asshole, you love dictators maybe we should have left you under Hitler's rule".

Misplaced certainly would be an understatement. 

[downbeatplumb]

I'd be curious to know if this is a sentiment shared throughout France or if it is something that resonates only with the far right.  I have a hard time believing that dyed-in-the-wool republicans would get their panties in a twist over a commemoration of Napoleon's downfall on a coin, though I suppose one must make allowances for nationalist pride, however misplaced it might be in this case.

After reading all the responses, the "national pride" explanation comes close but even then, come on. I cant wrap my head around that unless you support a dictatorship. I see where it is coming from but seriously, I would verbally bitch slap any Frenchmen getting upset about it with "Hey asshole, you love dictators maybe we should have left you under Hitler's rule".

Misplaced certainly would be an understatement. 

They are just butt hurt the rest of the world speaks English not French.

[abaris]

It is celebrating a French defeat.  That is why they don't like it.

So? The French would prefer to stay under the rule of a dictator? That makes no fucking sense considering they were thrilled the Allies freed them from Nazi Germany. I cant wrap my head around that logic. Napoleon was no hero. He was an opportunist. If I were French I would celebrate his defeat.

You're not seriously comparing Napoleon in any way to the Nazis. or are you?

You should actually read what min wrote. Napoleon commissioned the code civil, also called code Napoleon, a book of laws far more advanced than what any of the nations fighting him had to offer. In parts it's still in use in France. The European 19th century would have looked very differently if Napoleon had actually won. Not that he was an all around good chap, but given the choice between being ruled by the absolutist monarchies fighting him and his rule, I would choose Napoleon anytime.

You really should look up the history of this age, since at the same time as the battle of Waterloo was fought the Congress of Vienna was in progress where the monarchs of that time were busy to role back every achievement of the French revolution. Among them the Russian Czar, who presided over a nation of indentured servants. These truly enlightened personalities also brought back the Bourbons to France. The same house the French revolution was fought against.

So careful what you're talking about. It's not as clear cut as liberating Europe. It's more on the lines of bringing back the ancienne regimes.

It's also an irony that the British are minting that coin, since without the timely arrival of their Prussian allies they would have had their butts kicked by Napoleon.

[Dystopia]

These people think they understand a lot about French sentiments regarding historical figures - If we exclude truly evil people like Hitler most citizens everywhere have mixed feelings about dictators. Most Russians are not communist but many thing Lenin was the right man for the time and did what had to be done. I completely understand why the French don't want a national figure as a puppet to glamorize human rights, liberalism and everything the EU claims to stand for but somehow contradicts itself by allowing the most oppressive economic system to exist and fucking smaller countries' economies.

Moreover, people must be joking when comparing Napoleon to modern human rights because the time he rose to power is not comparable and entirely different.

The problem with people is that they evaluate every political figure according to a western concept of morality based on pseudo imaginary human rights. You can't do that and expect to understand politics and ideology. Many marxists dislike Stalin, but are ok with Lenin. Political figures can do evil and still have an impact because they did good to other people. Someone like Hitler and the nazis is arguably an extreme case because it's an ideology based on hate (Anti-semitism is a core value).

If we followed this rule, any pre-liberalism political figure is oppressive, offensive and a dictator by modern rules.

[downbeatplumb]

So? The French would prefer to stay under the rule of a dictator? That makes no fucking sense considering they were thrilled the Allies freed them from Nazi Germany. I cant wrap my head around that logic. Napoleon was no hero. He was an opportunist. If I were French I would celebrate his defeat.

You're not seriously comparing Napoleon in any way to the Nazis. or are you?

You should actually read what min wrote. Napoleon commissioned the code civil, also called code Napoleon, a book of laws far more advanced than what any of the nations fighting him had to offer. In parts it's still in use in France. The European 19th century would have looked very differently if Napoleon had actually won. Not that he was an all around good chap, but given the choice between being ruled by the absolutist monarchies fighting him and his rule, I would choose Napoleon anytime.

You really should look up the history of this age, since at the same time as the battle of Waterloo was fought the Congress of Vienna was in progress where the monarchs of that time were busy to role back every achievement of the French revolution. Among them the Russian Czar, who presided over a nation of indentured servants. These truly enlightened personalities also brought back the Bourbons to France. The same house the French revolution was fought against.

Nap started a decent fella but as they say power corrupts and he was just as bad as the bourbons. He certainly didn't make any friends as his forces lived off the peasants in the countries he invaded. The English either brought their own food or paid for it, the French just stole and oppressed.

So careful
what you're talking about. It's not as clear cut as liberating Europe. It's more on the lines of bringing back the ancienne regimes.

True to a certain value of true. Napoleon abandoned the principles he had when he gained ultimate power.

It's also an irony that the British are minting that coin, since without the timely arrival of their Prussian allies they would have had their butts kicked by Napoleon.

Napoleon was doomed. If he hadn't lost at Waterloo he would have lost elsewhere army after army was out to get him and he had no one coming to his aid.

[abaris]

True to a certain value of true. Napoleon abandoned the principles he had when he gained ultimate power.

Compare him to his enemies and you probably get the picture.

We're talking about a time when Metternich was the star rising from the ashes of Napoleon and dominating large parts of Western Europe with his reactionary policy. And that's only the most prominent figure in the decades leading up to the 1848 revolutions.

[Minimalist]

Nap started a decent fella but as they say power corrupts and he was just as bad as the bourbons.

No.  He was not. 

British propaganda aside, Napoleon was socially far ahead of the reactionary monarchies of Europe who saw the status quo as in their best interest.