The Channel Tunnel – an engineering marvel envisioned by Napoleon amongst others – is causing new, unexpected controversy. A Paris councillor, M. Florent Longuepée, has demanded that the London terminus of the tunnel's railway link be re-named, so that French tourists need not meet their Waterloo with every arrival. The British newspapers have debated M. Longuepée's motives. Is he serious? Having a laugh? Or does he just need the publicity? For, considering the balance of history, there are remarkably few places in Britain where the French may go to be insulted in this manner. Once they have turned their backs on Blenheim Palace, thumbed their noses at the lions in Trafalgar Square and made disparaging comments about – quel horreur – Nelson's Column, such embarrassing military reminders are pretty well over. Letters to the press have suggested various constructive solutions to the Waterloo dilemma. We could make the French feel at home by calling the station 'Eau de Toilette'. Or there could be a reciprocal operation to re-name all sites that might offend foreign visitors. No doubt M. Longuepée will come up with friendly alternatives for the Parisian Gare d'Austerlitz, Place de Iéna, Avenue Wagram, Place d'Alma and Boulevard Sevastopol, for a start. Other correspondents have made a case for prevention rather than cure – what were the French doing in Belgium anyway? – and propose that, rather than name places insensitively after the event, all future battles should be fought at railway stations. Kindly souls also advise the French to compare, en route from Paris to London, the vastly superior speed of the train in France with the dismally slow English side of the journey. After they arrive, they can restore national pride still further with a quick trip to the statue of Marshal Foch outside Victoria Station. Back to Greenhill Military Book News No. 89 Table of Contents Back to Greenhill Military Book News List of Issues Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 1999 by Greenhill Books This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com