The weight of 1870 in 1940 : diplomatic and domestic memory tropes in Franco-British relations

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Varley, Karine (2026) The weight of 1870 in 1940 : diplomatic and domestic memory tropes in Franco-British relations. Diplomacy and Statecraft. ISSN 0959-2296 (In Press)

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Abstract

This article argues that the memory tropes relating to the Franco-Prussian War shaped Franco-British relations during the fall of France in 1940. In so doing, it advances a fresh understanding of the role of the past in influencing diplomatic relations. The first trope related to notions of French diplomatic isolation after abandonment by the British in 1870. Fuelling French policymakers’ suspicions of British intentions in May and June 1940, it was instrumental in the French government’s decision to call for armistice terms with the Axis. The second trope related to the legitimacy of prolonged resistance in the face of almost certain defeat. While rooted in the primarily French experiences of 1870-71, it had profound international implications for the Second World War. The two tropes influenced policies and perceptions and were significant factors in the exacerbation of Franco-British relations. Through an examination of these tropes, the article suggests that memories of a given international event can be created and transmitted simultaneously but unevenly in the domestic and international spheres. These asymmetries help explain some of the misunderstandings and misperceptions that shaped Franco-British relations in the critical days of May to June 1940.

ORCID iDs

Varley, Karine ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9306-2689;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)