COMBINED OPERATIONS.

Anglo-French Rivalry in the Pacific: A New Caledonian Perspective 

France was once a superpower. Her 'lingua franca' was the common language of the crusades. At that time, 'frank' meant 'forthright', 'daring', 'honest' as well as French. For centuries, much of Europe looked to France for inspiration in culture and noble, good and gracious living. An isolated example - New Caledonia - is used to trace the causes of France's decline since. This decline affected all Europe because of France's central location, both geographically and culturally, within it.

When Cook first came to New Caledonia, he found its inhabitants to be extraordinarily friendly, honest and honourable; and the islands themselves to be unusually beautiful and agreeable to live in. It is shown that the French could have learned much from these peoples who could have helped them avert defeat and humiliation - also why they missed all such opportunities to do so. France thus isolated herself - not only in the Pacific, but to a large extent from Europe and the rest of the planet. Her future is now less certain than it has been for hundreds of years.

It is shown that France's obsession with nuclear, Europe's disunity patched over by bureaucratic decrees which receive little or no enthusiasm from its peoples, its post-war impoverishment, loss of initiative, self-confidence and competitiveness are largely consequences of French treacheries to both the Allied and Axis powers during WWII. This road to ruin need not be followed. Important incentives to greater true European dynamism, prosperity and cohesion could come from the Pacific - if the French have the humility to listen to, learn from, and be true friends with, the people they betrayed and despised for so long in New Caledonia.

C. S. Hopman,  Dipl. Ing. ETH.   Nouméa, 1997 ; revised 2004.