Why, How and When did Britain Join the EU? (Short Animated Documentary)

We talk so much about Britain leaving the EU that nobody wants to talk about how Britain came to be a member of the organisation. Ever wondered how Britain became a member or why France's Charles de Gaulle vetoed Britain's entrance? Well, if you're curious and want a simple video to tell you, here's one.
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Sources:
Sterling, International Monetary Reform and Britain's Applications to Join the European Economic Community in the 1960s by Catherine Schenk
The European Challenge: Britain's EEC Application in 1961 by Kristian Steinnes

[@Darkred28]

When the French and British spend over 1000 years slaughtering each other but since war isn't cool anymore they rely on being diplomatically rude to each other. Such good friends.

[@hanswurst6712]

They became only friends because they both hated and feared one thing more then each other, the germans. :D

[@brandonlyon730]

Ironically the ruling dynasty of Britain is technically a French one considering William the Conquerer was a French himself.

[@aussie870]

@@brandonlyon730 The current ruling dynasty is the House of Windsor, was renamed as such during the Great War as germanophobia was rife during those days. The original name was the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Thus, the ruling dynasty is actually of German descent, not French. Irregardless though, their lineage might be that of another nation, but they were raised as British and act like so.

[@walsh9080]

Yeah but we hate everyone else even more. I read a story written between the world wars and I honestly can't remember it's name but it was about a fictional war between Britain and France where the entire world is destroyed and as the world is getting blown up a Frenchman turns to the English protagonist and says "You were always our only worthy opponent" and the protagonist just nods silently.

[@fischlmakesmondstadtgreata7113]

@@brandonlyon730 They some time later became German if I remember correctly, until of course they just made themselves British in the future.

[@lucasward5155]

Britain: Spends many years campaigning heavily to be included in the EU Also Britain: Spends many years campaigning heavily to get out of the EU France: Spends many years campaigning against Britain joining the EU ALSO France: Spends many years campaigning against Britain leaving the EU Things are weird

[@jic1]

We're talking a period of almost 60 years here. It's not *that* weird that things would change in the interim.

[@jayasuryangoral-maanyan3901]

@@jic1 I mean in 90 years Europe went from napoleon to WWI so yeah loads changes

[@poliorcetix979]

As a French, I agree.

[@vermicelledecheval5219]

There are explanations for this paradox. At that time De Gaulle opposed it considering the UK would be the "carrier" of the US interests inside Europe. At our time France favoured a remainder UK since it is the only EU country fully invested in a credible defense budget with a sizable army that shares a common view on a military strategic diplomatic stage.👯‍♀️

[@lordmalcolm2675]

No. We never voted to join the EU. It was the EEC.

[@ethribin4188]

"... Britain would not fully commit to Europe like France or Germany had." Well... he was right.

[@ixlnxs]

NEVER have I known de Gaulle to be right on anything, ANYTHING, except this.

[@envinyatar5712]

​@@ixlnxs De Gaulle was right on most things. Except that time when he was unnecessarily soft, and did not crush that rotten crowd with artillery.

[@occamraiser]

When De Gaulle said Europe he meant France. ie Germany would do anything in the 1960s and 1970s to keep france happy because of guilt. So De Gaulle believed he ruled Europe, hence his dislike for the people who put him there (Anglo-saxons) and who weren't inclined to forget the beggar he became in 1940, and how we gave him he got the Presidency of France. Hence his racism.

[@jasonkingshott2971]

Commit to a continent of 43 countries with a population of 746.4 million, or are you getting confused with the EU organisation?

[@erwannthietart3602]

​​@@occamraiserew blunt anglo oversimplifying, first of, De Gaulle always hated the English, because he was born in a familly of frenchmen when the Franco english rivalry was still burning hot, not kill each other hot but "screw you you stink" hot. Second, you dare call him a beggar when he came to the UK in 1940 in order to spread a message to keep fighting for frenchmen while its own population was sh*tting itself at the idea of fighting the German army while it took Churchill and a healthy bit of propaganda, time, rage and confidence in the fleet for the UK to actually wish to keep fighting. You can call him ingrate mayhaps, but not a beggar, not in those cironstances. 3rd you blame France for ruling West Europe by proxy, i can blame the UK for allowing France to rule West Europe by proxy because as De Gaulle said, they didnt care nearly as much about Europe in the first place. Its litteraly why France got its permanent seat at the security concil, the Englishmen never cared enough. Hell he didnt even become president of France because of englishmen, because he left power. when the 4th republic wasnt what he wanted. Its when the french recalled him that he truly held power, and denied the english speakers the hardest

[@thewallachianbard6975]

Top Ten things to do if you ever time travel : 6. Tell Charles De Gaulle he was right about the UK and that the UK will leave the EU .

[@predragbalorda]

I'm always amazed by those people who ACTUALLY know what will or won't happen just from experience alone. De Gaulle saying UK will never take EU seriously as others did, so simple yet so true. The only continental thing UK ever adopted was wiring colours and that was useless anyway.

[@jaquaviontaviousbonquequex9066]

5. tell my dad that his condom had holes in it

[@occamraiser]

De Gaulle was a liar and a crook. I have little interest in his pronouncements about the nation that handed him back France by allowing him to pretend to liberate Paris.

[@occamraiser]

@@RobespierreThePoof I have only one thing to say about the dishonesty and perfidy of France as a member of the EEC. LAMB!

[@ronhall9394]

"We always have been, we are, and I hope that we always shall be detested in France" Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington

[@mariovanderwal1695]

France: The UK will not be as dedicated to the EU as, for instance, France or West Germany Guess they were right

[@xo-1320]

Please Greece shown that the EU itself would never be for the members or the people. It forced the nation to bend breaking it's left wing government before our very eyes. And yet Labour's socialists think that the EU is for the better of Britain? Hahahahahahahaha. Leftist unity really is a joke.

[@BlackThorus]

@@xo-1320 If Greece hadn't lied about its finances it wouldn't have been able to adapt the Euro, which would have given them a way stronger base to stabilize their economy after the financial crisis. There are good points to criticize about the EU, but I don't think that the whole Greece-thingy is that much of their fault. The main issues sure were held by the Greek.

[@VarietyGamerChannel]

Also according to France the UK was an entry point for the US to meddle in EU. CIA surveillance is all up in that bitch. See Germany scandal.

[@xo-1320]

@@VarietyGamerChannel oh and Twitter and Facebook did in fact meddle with the EU election. As much as they claim they didn't.

[@biocapsule7311]

@Emp UK and US election has been meddled far more then the EU elections. In the end, Brexit will likely be the downfall of UK. The single-market is too important a foundation and the UK has nothing to replace it with.

[@coysgub5599]

So what you're saying is, Charles de Gaulle was the original Brexiteer.

[@user-xe2hl7cj4c]

@@Mixcoatl I think Charles De Gaulle's objections to Britain joining weren't solely based around commitment. He didn't like the British 🤷‍♂️

[@lennydale92]

@@user-xe2hl7cj4c He was a respectable man though

[@meneither3834]

@@thegreatteaman he didn't hate the Algerian though. He was the one who stopped the atrocities.

[@ChavvyCommunist]

It wasn't Brexit because we weren't part yet.

[@Peccony94]

De Gaulle was treated like crap by the Brits during WW2 so he hated them with all his hart until he died.

[@agentcoxack7368]

Avoiding the leave argument entirely was perhaps the smartest thing that could’ve been done. Good on ya.

[@IKFtheGoat]

The vid is about them joining not leaving

[@agentcoxack7368]

@@IKFtheGoat Yes, well done.

[@agentcoxack7368]

@@Crescent-IV Your attempt to start an argument has failed.

[@sernoddicusthegallant6986]

Isnt going to stop the comments from becomming a cesspit mind you

[@timesnewlogan2032]

Funny, that seems to be Boris Johnson’s plan, too.

[@andyigwe7119]

Charles de Gaulle had foresight and foresaw Brexit decades before even the UK joined the EU

[@ixlnxs]

As a general, he had spent his entire adult life needing to know what his opponent's next moves would be in order for his men to stay alive.

[@gravitykat714]

De gaulle was on par with foresight on the level of Otto von Bismarck

[@chheinrich8486]

​@@gravitykat714 Bismarck always has a plan

[@stratonikisporcia8630]

@@chheinrich8486 De Gaulle's plan: wait for the President leave and ask him to be his successor, make a new constitution that allows him to become a dictator in order to surrender in Algeria, then have a communist revolution, leave, die right after, be remembered as the saviour in French modern "history" (totally not revisionism by his successors, especially not by the Gaullist parties such as LR and RE that totally didn't change the school programs to make him a hero).

[@padriandusk7107]

So, yeah....but in fact no.

[@user-njyzcip]

2:00 "In De Gaulle's eyes Britain would never commit to the EEC as much as France or W Germany did" It's not like he was wrong…

[@Marc-.]

Very unfortunate, he got fuked by the US and his own people. The average french people never learned to appreciate the great thing that they have got.

[@fischlmakesmondstadtgreata7113]

@Tattle Boad Maybe he knew that it would be impossible to get them ever fully on board. I guess he knew that strategically and with their own national interests would not coincide with what the EEC wanted to accomplish.

[@fischlmakesmondstadtgreata7113]

​@Tattle Boad Well, by thinking mostly, you just put yourself on the shoes of the national elites of another country and look at all your available choices and choose the one which will promise you the greatest profit. Diplomacy is just playing the Big Game of Geopolitics with treaties and words instead of war and weapons anyway. Just play any Grand Strategy Game and try to get as much power as possible, then change to another country and do the same, you will see that you will inevitably compete against the other one, while you will ally with the one which helps you become stronger. While the goal of the European project was (at least at the begining) trying to make (Destroyed) Germany, France, Benelux and Italy economically united, so that they can all cooperate on the reconstruction and prevent a new war between them, Britain never really had a strong reason to join on it, because of their unique position as an Island nation, and they could therefore mantian much closer relations with the US and Commowealth countries which share many more strategic goals with them.

[@respublica4373]

@Tattle Boad There is in fact very good ways to know pretty well what a national foreign policy of a certain nation will be. Those being history and logic.

[@a12shotman]

@Rory Mulligan any government, large or small, needs the will of it's people to govern. There is no way one of the more populous, and economically powerful countries would not be represented in an EU superstate. Whether it be in a unicameral parliament with a coalition government or bicameral where each country sends representatives like Congress, a federalised EU is the best option. The UK just shot itself in the foot. It's trade policy is now in a much weaker position. Economic uncertainty has slowed growth. Internal politics are just getting started as both NI and Scotland both wanted to remain in the EU.

[@lithuaniantroll8146]

To paraphrase Sir Humphrey Appleby from "Yes, Minister!" "we joined the European Union to screw over the french".

[@edipires15]

Yup and “France joined to protect its inefficient farmers from commercial competition and Germany went in to cleanse themselves of Genocide and to apply for readmission to the human race”

[@ForelliBoy]

And then also left to screw over the French

[@marcmarc8524]

Edi Pires. So why did the UK insist to join the EC if that was so bad? Still wandering...

[@edipires15]

Marc Marc i was also quoting Sir Humphrey from “Yes, Minister”. To make it quick (someone has written the entire quote in the comments) Sir Humphrey explained that Britain went into the EEC to sabotage the European project “to keep a disunited Europe” since it was Britain’s foreign policy for 500 years

[@jesseberg3271]

@@marcmarc8524 if you're unaware, Yes Minister was a brilliant British television satire made in the 1980s. It was about the British Government, and primarily followed a Cabinet Minister and the head Bureaucrat in his Ministry. The two usually ended up fighting for control of the Ministry, but occasionally collaborated with each other against others in the Government. After a few years, the Bureaucrat was made head of the Civil Service, and the Minister became Prime Minister, at which point they renamed it Yes Prime Minister.

[@NelsonDiscovery]

Britain: "Come on! Let me into your club!" France: "No. You only want in so you can say it's a shitty club." Britain: "Come on! Let me into your club!" France: "No. You only want in so you can say it's a shitty club." Britain: "Come on! Let me into your club!" France: "Oh Alright!" Britain: "What a shitty club." France: "..."

[@nicbahtin4774]

Damn De Gaulle is so based he knew what would happen from the start and yet he repedetly told the truth.

[@devoli85]

we know how is the "perfide albion" as we say in french

[@Nutmegp]

@@devoli85 lol we just laugh at your love of white flags

[@Raisonnance.]

@@Nutmegp Yes. The flag of french royal court is wonderful. 😍

[@fireprism2232]

@@Nutmegp And we laugh about how your royal family, of which you are so proud, is a mix between very old french houses and more recent german ones. Literaly, your queen is a byproduct of the Euro-Bros. I mean, dude, even your national motto and national hymns are french ! But that's okay, I like lions, so you have at least that going for you... (That's obviously sarcasm, btw. I know it may sound obvious, but you never know, with the french bashing people seem to believe we are rageful sobs. And to add onto that, I just got my scottish double-nationality, so no beef here lol)

[@Nutmegp]

@@fireprism2232 lmao I'm just rustling Jimmies anyway, Britain is a joke today so I don't exactly have much national pride but I do find the banter between England and France funny. My pride is of Europe and our history as a collective. Congrats on dual-citizenship, Scotland is a beautiful country

[@theskepticalwhaler4946]

I like how when De Gaulle came flying through the window there was a thud there too.

[@Marinealver]

Non!

[@kylemohs8728]

There has been an alarming absence of thuds in recent videos.

[@azeezbawumia6511]

I watched that scene 3 times

[@kennethbutler3727]

@@kylemohs8728 its 2020 and the thud sound *THUD* is dead

[@hobog]

The first infenestration of Europe

[@laynaTheLobster]

"Like De Gaulle simply had a grudge" REALLY? A Frenchmen holding a grudge? My, I never would've guessed.

[@yoavmor9002]

And on English men no less! No, that's an outrageous claim.

[@zbstepps765]

love the profile picture xD

[@namingisdifficult408]

Much less de Gaulle

[@poseidon6666]

A frenchman would've said "Fineeee...." But de Gaulle is stubborn as shit So much that we had a 8 years war against ourselves during his ruling period. (I'm talking about the algerian war of independence)

[@amauritaniannomad6533]

He wasn't wrong though, was he? He knew the Brits weren't reliable and today it's proved.

[@greenredblue]

The memes comparing Britain to a cat that only wants to sit in the doorway and never actually enter or leave, but just hates being told no, were already funny. I had no idea how deep it went.

[@william2496]

Besides the Sterling, US and Commonwealth reasons De Gaul had, he also didn’t want Britain in to veto his ambitions with a European army and ever closer Union.

[@meneither3834]

DeGaulle should have written in the french constitution to veto the brit.

[@walsh9080]

A man walks into a library and asks the librarian "Excuse me. Where can I find a copy of the French constitution?" and the librarian says "Over there, in the periodicals".

[@wm2429]

James Walsh that’s very good 😄

[@cebonvieuxjack]

"article 1 : always.say.no.to.the.brits."

[@alilabeebalkoka]

French Constitution declares the United Kingdom, Great Britain, England, or any other future success of state of these is hear by the The immortal eternal enemy of the French people and France

[@abloogywoogywoo]

Considering my ancestors died and are buried in France fighting for theirs and France's freedom in two world wars... De Gaulle can go fuck the devil (which he probably is doing right now).

[@di-and-shy9640]

The year is 2022. Britain has been out of the European Union for only 2 years and already it is flourishing. Within days of gaining its financial independence, Welsh and Scottish Nationalism died; the union has never been stronger. Ireland rejoined in a second act of union. The countries of the Commonwealth flocked to be taken back as crown dominions and colonies, begging for British rule once again. India declares Queen Elizabeth II Empress. Even the original 13 colonies of North America forgo their silly republic and swear loyalty to the Queen, who has been reborn as a gorgeous youthful Goddess with the power to restore Churchill to life. One pound is now worth over 200 dollars. France admits we were better all along. Angela Merkel ends herself as her plan to form the fourth Reich and displace the white populations of Europe is brought low. Rule Britannia the world cries out... Britannia rules the world... Nigel Farage awakes; his brow wet and his plaid pyjamas slightly sticky...

[@FormerPessitheRobberfan]

Saw that punchline from a mile away.

[@x999uuu1]

Farage wakes up and remembers Scotland and northern Ireland left a year ago. His actions helped kill The UK. But at least he doesn't have to look at brown people...... until he realizes the UK is still taking in immigrants at the rate it did.

[@benjammin9471]

Knew it was gonna be a dream the moment Ireland joined the Union

[@inqntrol2047]

So this is what a british nationalist dreams about? Quite the wet dream

[@cgt3704]

I would like to see it for myself. Scotland seems serious about freedom. As for N. Ireland, well see

[@Gregsplays]

It's worth remembering the UK also got a vote in the creation of the EU in the first place and if it had disagreed with the idea of a closer Union it could've simply vetoed it

[@marksavage1108]

WRONG,,,,, the UK traitor politicians got a vote on the creation of the eu, the UK voters were denied a say for 41 years. And in since 1993 the UK attempted 41 vetoes on treaty changes and were denied 41 times. SO STOP LYING

[@lucadesanctis563]

Why? Because Britain always want the pros and no cons

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

I’d like to board the History Matters HMS We’re Off

[@mannamedisaak3316]

Kim Jong-un hello Can America help your citizens and you

[@jona7357]

Thank you, Kim Jong Un, current leader of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea

[@mannamedisaak3316]

Jonathan The Dane yes bro

[@beersmurff]

@@mannamedisaak3316 You cant woosh a woosh you woosh :-)

[@chinesehotdog8960]

@@alekstanton4715 *you're

[@garabic8688]

Britain: Hey, this could really help our nation, mind if we jo- France: VETO

[@arrielradja5522]

Non

[@sw1000xg]

No get it right. The people were never asked heath took us in illegally that's why they had to have a ref in 1975.

[@stratonikisporcia8630]

@@sw1000xg Referendums don't seem to count since the French government was forced to accept the EU constitution though people voted "no" in the 2005 referendum.

[@sw1000xg]

@@stratonikisporcia8630 they did the same in Ireland they voted no. Jack straw is on record saying they'll vote till they get it right. They tried that here after the 2016 referendum But we were having none of that garbage.

[@cristianghidireac7628]

Britain: Wants to join the EU France: No. Britain: Wants to leave the EU France: No.

[@tiffany_shimizu]

"To make it into a complete pig's breakfast." - Sir Humphrey Appleby, _Yes Minister_

[@danukil7703]

de Gaulle is smugly laughing in his grave

[@hamooozmugharbel]

pro EU pro brexit

[@hussey4826]

You have 69 likes I want to upvote your comment but I can't ruin the secks number

[@Thor.Jorgensen]

I totally get de Gaulle. The UK's parliament didn't do anything but blame all the rest of Europe, lie, and generally throw a spanner in the works of the European Union. They only joined to benefit themselves, not for the common good of all citizens in Europe. Self-importance and selfishness incarnate.

[@paireon3419]

"Hon hon hon." De Gaulle, probably. I'm French myself so I can do the joke without being racist.

[@danukil7703]

@@hussey4826 Well, now I don't XD

[@someguy3766]

De Gaulle's ghost after the 2016 referendum result: "I told you so! I said they couldn't be trusted - well looky now!"

[@Valencetheshireman927]

The British helped France , De Gaulle himself and won WW2 and blocking their membership of the EEC is how the French repaid them .

[@just_pleb8977]

@@Valencetheshireman927 its more complicated than that as always in politic

[@ey6713]

@@Valencetheshireman927 france had sacrificed a half of its troupes to cover the British there evacuation

[@Valencetheshireman927]

@@ey6713 I don’t know if that’s true but I do know that the French still lost a large part of their army during the war just as all the allied nations did so you might be right . Either way my point was focused more on France blocking the UKs entry to the EEC .

[@Valencetheshireman927]

@@just_pleb8977 De Gaulle didn’t give a very good reason as to why he blocked the UKs membership from the EEC. If it was more complicated than that then he would have given us a better reason .

[@kate2create738]

It's funny how De Gaulle, a French with history of fighting with the British and was a French leader from at least 50 years ago, could predict and understands why the British would want to leave more than the remainders could understand today.

[@ElBandito]

The Brits were never truly Euro-centric.

[@manmaje3596]

@@ElBandito Can you blame them?

[@ElBandito]

@@manmaje3596 Dunno. Ireland doesn't seem to have any issues being in the EU.

[@erwannthietart3602]

@@ElBandito ireland would naturally have more issues with the UK than the rest of europe

[@GoldMario5500]

@@MrNPC The Europeans seems to be ok with the IRA

[@skeletonkeysproductionskp]

Great video as always! This video was a real inspiration for my own video on what would have happened if Britain had never joined the EU. Keep up the great work!!!

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

My favorite History Matters fun fact: *Non*

[@NewNicator]

HOW ARE YOU EVERYWHERE?????

[@Dave_Sisson]

@@NewNicator Some people have no lives and instead, they spend all their time watching KZbin. Perhaps Avery should get out more often?

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

Dave Sisson Well, I have a part time job in the meantime (and in college). I just watch YT when I have some free time. I have a life

[@Dave_Sisson]

Avery, that comment cam out far ruder than I intended. I guess I was inexcusably in a grumpy mood. Sorry.

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

@@Dave_Sisson It's okay! I understand, we can have off days when we're not ourselves. That's what makes us humans

[@mixererunio1757]

0:53 Lost chamce for "Negotiations were indeed short" joke

[@darthsawlex8257]

You were right about one thing master.....

[@MegaWarlus]

no

[@darthsawlex8257]

@@MegaWarlus A surprise to be sure, but an unwelcome one.

[@juliuss2056]

mixererunio Please edit your comment! There is no indeed!

[@belltowersubductions5104]

Britain: We're too reliant on America, let us in. France: You're too reliant on America, stay out.

[@smal750]

😂

[@kungolaf4499]

2:15 "... its concern that it would be financially to dependant on the United States..." And now the UK is joining a trade agreement reserved for US satellites... Oh how the mighty have fallen.

[@lukazaeuner]

"You probably haven't heard..." I forgot that they voted to leave the EU because it happened in fu**ing 2016

[@patrickcollins8048]

Luka Zäuner 😂

[@beersmurff]

Woosh

[@obiwankenobi4252]

@@beersmurff r/woosh

[@MahsaKaerra]

The idea was supposed to be that there would be a two year negotiation period, in which the UK and the rest of the EU looked over the previous 44 years (at the time of the referendum) of changes in regulation and legislation and decide what could be disposed of and what would need to be re-ratified as new and separate treaties. Even something as seemingly simple as the continued operation of the Channel Tunnel would need a foundation in law. Or, perhaps, the question of what a land border between the UK and an EU member state would look like... But, oh, the Good Friday Agreement has it that there shall be no hard border between the south and the north, something which at the time was just a statement of the obvious as both the UK and Ireland were member states and thus were already obligated to not have hard borders. So of course one of the lead British negotiators accused the Irish of being "uppity" and of acting in bad faith when they raised the terms of the GFA and asked how that would work against the need for a hard border such as that which exists between the EU and any other non-member state. And let's just ignore the contradiction of the people who say that the EU is both a means to erode a nation's sovereignty while at the same time being a means by which small nations like Ireland or Estonia can assert their individual sovereignty in the face of rhetoric from relatively larger neighbours. What should have been a period of fair and amicable discussion was dogged by posturing and nationalistic chest-thumping, not only compromising the idea of friendly UK-EU relations after the fact, but forcing both sides to seek extensions to the deadline in violation of the EU's own rules just in order to go over the basics.

[@lennydale92]

The cat finally walked out the door lol

[@samoldfield5220]

BRITAIN IS LEAVING THE EU?!?!?! WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?!?!?!

[@dzentrax4517]

are you joking?

[@DavidMartin-ud9gs]

Idk if this is satire or not, but tbh Europe seems like they're so ashamed of it that they havent put out many news articles. Huge loss for the EU.

[@Simon-zw2hr]

@@DavidMartin-ud9gs hhahah he is joking every one knows after so many years ;)

[@DJPKTV]

Yes they wanted to control their own country, so they voted against it.

[@urban_hoplite7593]

@David Sibbald cough. Queen. Cough

[@FlorentPlacide]

The UK joined and, as de Gaulle predicted, they were a pain in the ass. They always had a foot in and a foot out. They wanted the common market but none of the solidarity mechanisms that went with it. They even got a reduction in their financial participation and an increase in the received subsidies. Additionally, we have to consider that the EEC and the UE don't have the same level of integration. Whereas the EEC was mainly an economic cooperation, based on free trade, the UE is much more political, including a large transfer of sovereignty and a subordination of the nations to the UE. That's this structure the British democratically voted to leave, not the common market of the beginnings.

[@TheGoldennach]

So Charles de Gaulle was right!

[@axolot9097]

UK : Can I join? EC: No. UK: Can I join please?? EC: No. UK: Can I join pleeeeeease??? EC: [Sigh] Fine... UK: YES! EC: So as member you need to... UK: Alright imma head out!

[@Gambit771]

No the UK never said they want to leave to the EC, they did to the EU which is completely different. Do you not understand the EU or watch the video all the way through?

[@axolot9097]

@@Gambit771 And the EU is? The continuation of the EC

[@googane7755]

@@Gambit771 EC and the EU are practically the same thing.

[@Voidwurm1701]

@@googane7755 No, they are not. One was primarily economic and the other is primarily political.

[@Zhest-yu8rw]

@@Voidwurm1701 It was a political project from the get go with the treaty of Rome.

[@Hungeryan]

It's very ironic how hard they *got* into the EU and how hard they want to *get out* from the EU.

[@harrywood6502]

Half of us don't want to leave, so I wouldn't say we want to get out hard at all.

[@linkofvev]

It's a bit like why the Scots want a referendum on leaving the UK despite already having one a few years back (in which they decided to stay). Circumstances have changed.

[@scottwhitley3392]

That’s the thing the EC and EU are very different. The EC was an economic union while the EU has became a political one.

[@nikoclesceri2267]

the EU isn’t the same now as it was back then. It has move from being a mainly economic union to a more political one and some people (the majority in fact) decided that they want no part of it any more

[@wanne10]

@@scottwhitley3392 but it was clear from the beginning where the european project would lead, they should have known that before joining

[@dansmith6724]

Great history and even better jokes. I love your videos!

[@chappy0061]

Your comical timing is usually pretty good, but it was excellent in this one. France's final veto gave me a good chuckle.

[@MrBannystar]

That's one of the many reasons I love this channel: it's all about presenting what happened instead of inserting opinions. Regardless of your views on Brexit, this is how this video should've been done.

[@nydydn]

this video is just a list of opinions you happened to not have been familiar with. e.g. de Gaulle was of the opinion that UK would not commit to the European project. The only fact in this video is that UK joined EU, which is also in the title. Everything else in this video are the opinions of the time about this fact.

[@MrBannystar]

@@nydydn De Gaulle being of the opinion that the UK would not commit to the European project IS A FACT. If our beloved narrator said "In my view, De Gaulle thought that blah blah" then that would indeed be an opinion. I'm not sure that semantics is your strongpoint.

[@anthonyp9591]

@@nydydn I don't think you understand how facts work

[@nydydn]

@@anthonyp9591 ​ why do you say so?

[@anthonyp9591]

@@nydydn because while it is true that de Gaulle had his opinions, thole fact that he had those opinions is verifiable and therefore a fact

[@henrik1220]

Well, De Gaulle was right, as i know, he said that the UK will leave, if they think that they cannot profit of it (one of many reasons why he didnt wanted them to join)

[@brianlowe904]

Why would you join an economic pact that you don’t profit off of? Economic. Money. That you generally want more of.

[@sceerane8662]

@Tattle Boad Probably as a safety net, You might be a little better off financially on your own but that doesn't mean you'll be better off when things go wrong.

[@nikoclesceri2267]

I mean yeah. But why make things harder on yourself in case things go bad when you could be better off.

[@ryzziktrognesou1]

​@Tattle Boad ​@UCL6qs6X2wgD4UsOkeazbR8g ​It means that Britain wanted to be "The first among the equals". De Gaulle was thinking that the UK wanted to be a leader on the continent and will never agree to be just one among equals. And again, he was right. All the diplomatic moves from the successive British governments were aiming at obtaining a "special seat" in the Union with attached privileges. In the first place, when he proposed to hold a referendum about staying in the EU, Cameron thought that the Brexit (winning the referendum, squashing his opponents) was a good mean to become popular and to scare the European member States enough to make them give up to his claims. Shortly after that, he won his diplomatic gamble to make the continental States accept his demands... But lost the vote on the Brexit. Forty years of "Blaming the EU for everything that doesn't work at Home" had created one of the strongest eurosceptical political movement in the whole Europa. (Edit: But on the other hand, De Gaulle wanted to protect the French influence on the Continent. Having the pesky British in an economic union basically meant that France had to negotiate with Germany AND the UK.)

[@vladescu3g]

@@brianlowe904 The fact that you didnt know EC/EEC/EU was not just about economy is realy amazing. if you dont know 2+2 makes 4 doesnt mean it does not, it only means you are stupid and uninformed. anyway good ridance!

[@NoaManic]

0:00 Look at these lads recognizing Andorra as non-EU, the attention to detail, man

[@Flight_of_Icarus]

Well, I'm an American, and I don't know too much about the specifics of EU politics. Still, from what I've seen, the EU is very questionably democratic, and it likes to erode the national sovereignty of member states. A European super state under the EU, with its own armed forces and very detached bereaucratic leadership seems like a bad idea. I only hope that my country helps the UK out, so the spirit of the special relationship forged during WWII is honored, and the financial crisis of the UK isn't too bad.

[@Flight_of_Icarus]

@Kvarta B Yes, the question is how much, and for what purpose. If the EU is so questionably democratic, and you're sacrificing a democratic country's sovereignty for that, it seems fishy to me. The EU having its own army is a bit too much for me, and a European superstate, at least one based on the EU framework is a bad idea.

[@anneeq008]

"You probably haven't heard" 😂😏

[@uhtmilk5032]

Ho we heard 4 bloody years ago And then we just forgot so it is a half-truth

[@hassenmh2850]

Best line 😂

[@TassieDinkum90]

I had to pause the video and compose myself after De Gaulle came through that window.... dear Jesus I was helpless

[@shadowhunter2275]

If you pause it at the right time when he flies through the window he is smiling lmao

[@ciaran..G]

2:42 is the best bit

[@hoarder1919]

Gotta love how consistent this guy with country colors. Like England/UK is always red, France is blue, Germany/Prussia is dark grey, Netherlands is orange, Belgium is yellow, Denmark is another red etc.

[@axelnils]

Europa Universalis does that to you.

[@yungfaas6688]

Fun fact: Non

[@Marinealver]

French Fact

[@jesseberg3271]

I am loving all the Yes Minister references down here in the comments.

[@princevesperal]

I have to say, the attention to details in those maps has me in awe! I can spot Andorra, Liechtenstein and West-Berlin on those maps, when the territories around them are coloured and they are not. Outstanding!

[@QuantumAscension1]

C’mon, we all know the real reason De Gaulle didn’t want the UK in the EU: France’s political and cultural influence in the EU would be diminished by the UK’s entry.

[@Heatmaker]

Britain: *joins EU* Also Britain: *leaves EU* EU: Hold on, this whole operation was your idea

[@Heatmaker]

@@Mmjk_12 Bruh that was a joke. Don't take it seriously

[@abloogywoogywoo]

@@Mmjk_12 The EU didn't exist in 1973.

[@Danny-ss8il]

Should have stayed just a economic union 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♀️

[@anothergermanmapper7754]

Danny 000 Nah. The more united the EU is, the better.

[@mrdemocracy7106]

No Britain joins the common market that overtime became a Undemocratic EU cartel run organisation monster Thank goodness we have finally left this corrupt organisation.

[@moartems5076]

Sooo, had the French intensely argued to just kick out the Brits, Brexit would have been called off.

[@nessunday]

Unfortunately the EU was dependent on British money to survive so kicking Britain out was never an option they hoped that by using bully boy tactics and snide remarks in order to try and force Britain to stay the result being the EU utterly destroyed what credibility it had, the fall out of the massive black hole in its budget remains to be seen but we all know it won't be pretty

[@philagelio336]

European countries weren’t keen on Britain joining their club and they weren’t keen on them leaving the club. I guess Europe isn’t very keen on Britain at all

[@ramjb]

As for not being keen on britain joining it was obvious to see. Everyone in europe knew about the ,let's say, particular british character in what regards to their, ahem..."special place in the world" (or stated it plainly, the UK, which in many ways I've always admired, is a country full of people so full of themselves that at times it gets to be nauseating.). Accordingly it was suspected that they wouldn't be particularily committed to an ideal of a common future without wanting to be the ones handling the rudder, and throwing a massive temper tantrum when they found they weren't going to be that. And - as time has proven, those concers were damn on spot. AS for not being keen later on on Britain leaving...Well (picture of a well) them not being keen on britain leaving is understandable. To add to the massive bureocratic mess that it entails, EU economy has been shaping up the way it has for the last 25 years because it was a given that we were all into the same boat. The economic fabric of the EU has developed it has because everyone thought everyone else would stay in. Otherwise it'd developed in a very different way (leaving the UK out). And now suddenly someone wants out in a hurry, that's going to obviously disrupt the economy of the union for a good while, which is yet another mess nobody wants to go through, no wonder there was little love in seeing the UK go. Because it fucks everyone up. It fucks them up (their loss, they asked for it, after all, so up to them to deal with it) but as a result it fucks us up too because the EU economy has developed it has because everyone counted them in, and now they're out there's not only a loss of an important economy, there's also a retroactive loss for all the european businesses that have developed commercial links with them for years based on the EU rules only to see them messed up all of a sudden, and the need to rearrange things to compensate and rearrange the economy to fix the hole they left behind. Who would want to see that scenario?. Everyone loses out of this. Some more than others (the UK is going straight into the abyss for sure), but the rest of Europe loses too. So other than Farage and his legion of brainwashers (as long as they don't care about anything other than their own private funds, which is exactly the case), everyone else was like "Uh...oh...no, better not see them go?".

[@lewis123417]

@@ramjb picture this. Britian wasn't a vanquished nation with weak institutions after the second World War. Britian was quite happy to join and common market with Europe and voted overwhelmingly to join that common market. Fast forward and we're having the Lisbon treaty rammed through without any consent or election. Just look at how they treated the irish when they voted in a referendum against the Lisbon treaty and the EU made them vote again and they were still rejected so the EU instead pushed the Lisbon treaty anyway...... The EU cannot keep behaving like the USSR, they cannot force their political goals through when the people of Europe have rejected them. Euroscepticism is not just a British thing, look at marine le Penn in the polls, look at the Italian far right. The EU has failed by being pig ignorant to the needs of the people Europe. When you aren't accountable to the people you don't have to keep them happy. The elected part of the EU doesn't even have the right to put forward legislation that would help the people they represent (no democracy in the world works in that way)

[@ramjb]

​@@lewis123417 Picture this: without the massive european rescue funds that went their way when their economy was on the brink of collapse in 2010, Irish people would be using irish pounds to wipe their ass nowadays. Because there'd be not much else to do with their paper money in the aftermath of the cataclysm they were on the verge of falling into. Go there today and ask if they like being in Europe or not. So much for "voting against Lisbon treaties". And that ,even considering the rescue package they got, they got under conditions that weren't exactly lenient. Europe is not perfect and everything done in the EU is far from great, but the overall project is the way to go. Yes, there are euroskeptics. The same way there are stupid morons in certain regions who push for independence even if that spells economic disaster for their region, if that's going to give them the reigns of the newly independent state. There's always going to be brainless regionalists pulling from stupid nationalist agendas in order to make up a populist portfolio to sell to idiots to vote for, because there's a living to make out of that retardness (and there will always be, as long as people don't vote using their brains instead of their gonads, and the most prominent brexiteer loudmouths are a good proof of it). So what?. Let's put it bluntily: nationalism and regionalism are XIX century relicques, from a time when news would take days from going from one side of the world to the other, and when people would take months going from one point of the planet to the opposite one. Today every place in the world is 12 hours away at the most, goods take days, not months to reach from the farthest part of a country to it's factories, and news travel across the globe instantly. In a world like that crying because your tiny island doesn't have the loudest voice in a common multinational cooperation project that spans dozens of coutries, is stupid, even if that project isn't perfect, and even if that project could be better managed. Without the EU the whole of europe would be FAR worse than it is nowadays, if not shooting each other instead, as we have been keen of doing for millenia now. that there are people who want to go back to 1950, says nothing at all. As I said, there'll always be predators who prey on the lack of knowledge and naivete of the regular voter and are able to earn a (luxurious) living out of cheating them, and there'll always be emptyheads who are not only willing but happy to be cheated. If your argument against the EU is that they aren't perfect and that they've done things wrong sometimes, argument granted. It's true. Doesn't mean that in the overall of things having the EU and being part of it isn't FAR better than not having it. And if your argument against the EU also is that people like Marie LePen or Matteo Salvini are against it, you're only furthering my point that the EU is something we DESPERATELY need to stay in place. Because Heavens help us (all) if Europe falls into hands like that again.

[@Nutmegp]

@@ramjb Legion of brainwashers? Bro shut up and stick to the politics of your own country

[@demotexde5028]

@@Nutmegp ahhhh youre the one of the empty heads he was talking about

[@nik65stgt60]

Fascinating content!

[@timfortune9]

Good video, but "Yes Minister" already told me why. Sir Humphrey Appleby: "It's a game played for national interests and always was. Why do you suppose we went into it?" Jim Hacker: "To strengthen the brotherhood of free Western nations." SHA: "Really, we went in to screw the French by splitting them off from the Germans." JH: "Well why did the French go into it then?" SHA: "Why to protect their inefficient farmers from commercial competition." JH: "That certainly doesn't apply to the Germans." SHA: "No, no. They went in to cleanse themselves of genocide and apply for readmission to the Human race."

[@edipires15]

JH: “Never heard such appalling cynicism. But at least the small nations didn't go into it for selfish reasons.”

[@timfortune9]

@@edipires15 "If this is true, why would the other nations be trying to get in?" "Such as?" "Take the Greeks." "Actually I find it difficult to take the Greeks..."

[@samdherring]

I am glad to have found that show. Funnily scary at times.

[@timfortune9]

@@samdherring I work in civil service. The longer I am, the more I find myself becoming Sir Humphrey.

[@matt.fromtheinternet]

You just described half of my senior thesis in less than four minutes. I hate how much I love you.

[@nik65stgt60]

Great content!

[@guywhocantgrowabeard]

I'm actually curious about how Britain felt about the EEC becoming the EU. Was it worried from the start about the economic union becoming political? Or did that happen over many years slowly?

[@guywhocantgrowabeard]

@Simon John thank you for the comment! 👍

[@BlueflameKing1]

2:47-2:49, I love seeing the motion in these videos and seeing du gualle crash through window with a jump kick was hilarious.

[@Hilversumborn]

The eternal rivalry between England and France.

[@merrittanimation7721]

Though these days it's kind of died down. They haven't gone to war in awhile.

[@linaro1801]

@@merrittanimation7721 The British dont miss any opportunity to show their hate of France. This rivalry is more about memes then war nowadays.

[@_Anonymous_9]

@@linaro1801 I don't hate the French. Cheers for the Brie.

[@linaro1801]

@@_Anonymous_9 You might be the exception which confirms the rule

[@linaro1801]

@@davidkener3754 What do you mean by that?

[@ClassyJackBF]

The bit where de Gaulle flew through the window cracked me up

[@zaydalaoui9397]

De gaule was a visionary on this one! He understood well ahead everyone that Britain won’t benefit the EU except when it suits them.

[@frosty848]

Then why are they bitching and moaning for it stay?

[@zaydalaoui9397]

@@frosty848 I don’t hear anyone moaning for them to come back. They wanted them to stay as it’s always good to have a member like the UK even with all the headaches.

[@xanderreyno]

​@@zaydalaoui9397in fairness ive seen many lovely people saying theyd love to see the UK back. As for governments and the EU itself they have literally always maintained the door is always open for the UK to return and they consider it a senseless tragedy the UK left in the first place. The EU has remained steadfast since day one in calling brexit a lose lose situation.

[@balaalalaslk]

How has David Cameron just skated by all of this, he obviously had no plan or expectation that Brexit would happen. It might be the greatest own goal a country has ever scored on themselves.

[@patrickcollins8048]

The country voted to leave It was therefore not an “own goal” as you put it, but a solution to the ever growing problem that the EU lead full responsibility for.

[@marctelfer6159]

IIRC, the referendum was intended to kick start discussion within the House of Commons regarding EU membership, with the referendum being advisory (its advisory nature was made explicitly clear very early on, but seems to have been taken by the majority as binding, which it never was). Anyway, when the result came in, it would appear that Cameron, who was vocally in favour of remaining in the EU during the campaign running up to the referendum, decided that he could, in good faith, establish a dialogue concerning an exit from the EU, while also being pro-EU (personally, I see that as a purely political move, with him knowing that no matter what he did, if it wasn't "tough enough" then he'd be branded a "traitor" and if it was "too tough" he'd probably be called a liar, with either option seeing either a vote of no confidence, or the loss of a general election. The irony that May was then elected as the leader of Conservative Party, taking on the role of Prime Minister, was just two years of added irony). Since "he" was voted in "with the most votes", with his party gaining the most seats, his role as "representing the will of the people" came at odds with that will (6 million more people voted "leave" in the 2016 referendum than voted for Conservative MPs in the 2015 General Election, for example). Since he resigned from his roles as Prime Minister, leader of the Conservative Party, and as an MP, he became politically irrelevant basically immediately. No amount of hounding him or asking him to do something would have any effect on the way that Brexit was handled. I wouldn't be surprised, though, that in the future, when the dust settles, people will have the chance to take stock, step back, and have a long hard think about Cameron's role in all of this, and they will look upon him poorly. He even seems to be expecting it, once saying "some people will never forgive me". Right now, though, in the present, Cameron's role means nothing. He skated by through his self-removal from the process, so we've had to focus on the active players.

[@balaalalaslk]

@@patrickcollins8048 I won't go on a lengthy debate but if leaving the EU would be such a great success then why only now? Another point would be why wasn't done 4 years ago, you know like the country voted. They did vote for a 4+ year negotiation followed by a transition period with an unknown end. If Cameron and Conservatives had the courage of their convictions they would have announced the end of their membership with the EU the following day after the vote, exited all of the other related institutions including the High Court, and finally would have asked all EU citizens to promptly leave the United Kingdom. Then of course followed by the obvious building of a border again between Northern Ireland (which is still a part of the United Kingdom) and Ireland (which is still a EU nation). I doubt any of those things will ever happen, but if I'm wrong whatever I'm not from the UK and if I'm right again whatever. But I still by my original claim of it being an Own Goal, until I am PROVEN otherwise.

[@balaalalaslk]

@@urban_hoplite7593 Just read my reply to his comment. He is obviously trolling.

[@patrickcollins8048]

The Quiet Heroes of Australia I don’t disagree with your point, I just don’t believe it is a bad thing that the people were given the decision to stay or to leave the EU. The UK is ruled by a democratic government, so the ability of the people to have their say is in my opinion a good thing.

[@TheNinjaDC]

You left out 2 other reasons De Gaulle vetoed it: 1: The joked about, but very true 1000 year long rivalry between France and Britain. 2: UK entering would weaken France's dominance, as they were the leading economic & political power in the organization (Germany was still halved at the time). De Gaulle at his core was a French nationalist. He believed France was the heart of Europe, and wanted to expand its influence.

[@smal750]

and he was right

[@John.B.Jenkins]

History Matters GO! Gotta Catch 'em All!

[@neilbain8736]

Edward Heath made a famous speech in French at this time. I think it was about joining. It really is wonderful if you can find it. The pronunciation and accent have to be heard to be believed. I don't know what it did for Anglo French relations.

[@ricksahuman]

I like how detailed your maps are :)

[@lemaro1977]

1:27 this reminds me the video about the Suez Crisis. "The british can no longer pursue its own foreign policy". And again it was probably humiliating.

[@markkond8565]

The Suez wasn't humiliating. It was reality biting the British in the ass. What IS humiliating is how pathetically servile the UK has become towards the US (who, during the Suez crisis, basically told the UK to back off or they'd kick their ass economically). I'd call it Stockholm syndrome, but the US isn't trying to hold the UK hostage, the UK is volunteering.

[@ricbrow8752]

Let's not forget how small the UK actually is .. and what it as achieved.. it was the ussr that told us to leave the suez .. so we looked to the Americans to back us up ... and they said we better do one .and leave .. as we had no nuclear weapons of our own at that time we had no choice but to do so

[@vladimirlenin9012]

"We're gonna avoid this like the plague..." This aged horribly

[@adriapple5770]

De Gaulle wasn't the only one in the EEC who knew Britain would never be a good member, Adenauer totally agreed but a veto would have been dangerous for his leading coalition in Western Germany.

[@sam08g16]

This guy knows everything about everything

[@f_f_f_8142]

It's called research.

[@romulusnuma116]

But only enough for videos under 5 minutes

[@sniffyjoe4229]

@@romulusnuma116 That's how you get a big following sadly enough. A very small percentage will sit there and subscribe and regularly watch his videos if they were all documentary length. This is the smartest option to educate and keep the average persons attention.

[@marzuqahmed218]

@@sniffyjoe4229 Nah short video likes this help give people a good basis on what they should study to learn.

[@steelbear2063]

@@sniffyjoe4229 Also it's a shitload of work to animate every minute of these videos

[@techgeekout]

Yknow De Gaulle really wasn't wrong, was he?

[@Alexroberts666]

well not for the reasons in this video

[@mrknowit457]

i'm commenting before i've watched the video only to say, you sir, must have mighty fine balls to take this topic on.

[@KangaKucha]

I think better questions are is why didn't it led it? Or adopt the currency? The fact it left for me and many is very upsetting.

[@clevercat9774]

As ever you do a good job of simplifying an issue into bitesizes but I feel like on this issue it’s complexity and moreover it’s relative presence in the minds of the public, calls for a framing of a wider debate on the factors. For example turning away from the commonwealth as a primary source of trade (it is even fully was in the 60s) is more complexed than American competition and De Gaulle had more reasons for vetoing than economic reasons (eg he also - and perhaps mainly - didn’t want the U.K. being a rival power at the centre of the EU amongst other things).

[@endo4137]

Founders of the Eu: We need the EU to contain communism, maintain peace and be prosperous. UK: Money

[@torinjones3221]

Uk= jews

[@samarpandas3260]

Nah eu is full of commi parties ..

[@endo4137]

@@samarpandas3260 Well yes, but actually no

[@samarpandas3260]

So Nordic green left , green parties are not socialists.... I mean even social Democrats are adopting full on socialists ideas....

[@endo4137]

@@samarpandas3260 well, it is true that a significant majority of EU parties are socialist or further, which is kinda bad for a democratic europe, since the parliament is supposed to represent the EU peoples ideology, but people are too brainwashed to even consider the implications...

[@peterwolf2702]

There was a british show "Yes, minister". That explained it wonderfully. (paraphrasing from memory) "- None of the EU countries really believe in the EU ideals. - What? Why did we join than? - To stick it to the French. - You are telling me none of the European countries care about the EU? - Yes, Minister. - Why did the Eastern European nations join than? - To get money of course. - Why did the French join than? - To protect their ineffective agricultural workers. - The Germans? - To rejoin the human race."

[@williambrennan104]

That's the great thing about free markets. You don't have to believe in them for them to work, you just have to follow their rules.

[@kabalofthebloodyspoon]

It pains me so much to admit DeGaulle was correct about a major policy decision but here we are. His skepticism of UK commitment to European integration was prudent, in retrospect, I guess

[@Super-chad]

Dude, with your lessons, I could pass any history class homework

[@Not_BhiLZA]

I just naturally like it tho

[@alexey926]

I haven't had a history class in years but I love his sense of humor and accurate historical lenses.

[@herbivorethecarnivore8447]

To quote Mock The Week: 'In 2060, the United Kingdom was allowed to rejoin the European Union under the condition it changed its name to "Really-very-sorry-land".'

[@bitterballs356]

Or to "really arrogant anglosaxon with superiority complex"

[@Gabriel-ip6me]

By 2060 there won't be an EU

[@RedbadofFrisia]

I say this as someone from a country that co-founded the union, but we could do with some humility about our supposed strength. The next economical crises will be a real challenge since essentially nothing has changed. Do not think this union will not be sundered if it is not an advantage to all members.

[@herbivorethecarnivore8447]

@Trollinyamon Unworthy by whose standards? Yours?

[@FirstnameLastname-cw8ok]

辛辣球Bitter Balls Gonna cry?

[@salkeld571]

Love that Gen De Ghoul. Bloody Brilliant.

[@seanmoran6510]

This Sceptic Isle by Peter Hitchens is worth a watch!

[@immacintosh2966]

Last time i was this early Britain voted to leave the EU

[@yaythereal]

In 1940?

[@urban_hoplite7593]

@@yaythereal what r u on about

[@walsh9080]

@@urban_hoplite7593 I'm guessing they're referring to the Battle of Britain. Can't imagine would else it could be unless they just picked 1940 to make a joke about it being a long time ago. I can't quite tell.

[@Oxley016]

I think you mean the United Kingdom!

[@markkond8565]

Four score and seven years ago?

[@peterstamatiou4530]

Can we just appreciate the fact this guy pumps out videos like they are Toyota’s in japan

[@chuckvoss9344]

always something interesting ... thanks for that.

[@azaria_phd]

So Charles de Gaul played the long con all along. We got all the other members we wanted in the EU (except Norway, because Norway) but left out the UK.

[@Achillez098]

That map at the beginning shows just how much of a badass Switzerland is XD

[@michaelzheng5250]

Achillez Andorra is the real mad lad here

[@Ashley-lm4nv]

@Nspnspker they should have made a special deal with the EU like the Brits did. Now they can only agree or agree. If they disagree, well look at the map.

[@rogerwilco2]

Switzerland is so tied to EU regulation, that they count as a member for most economic things. They just don't have a vote and are left out of some of the politics.

[@Tom_Cruise_Missile]

The swiss used their neutrality to launder Nazi gold, none of which they had to return. They aren't badass, they're war profiteers who use geography to make money off of mass murder.

[@GalacticEmperorAstronomus]

@Jacob Wilson they even AA'ED Allies and axis planes for going over their airspace. Even more chad

[@barnabasgardai6174]

Actually, in 1961 it wasn't the EC either. The EC came into existence in 1967. in 1961 it was three different entities: ECSC, Euratom and EEC.

[@theyoodoo]

As usual, I always enjoy the little cartoon figures!

[@beaverjedi1236]

2:46 "The primary reason was gone- *and he vetoed them again.* "

[@valentinhanriot-colin5797]

Speaking of De Gaulle, it would be interresting to make a video about May 68 in France

[@ArkadiBolschek]

La chienlit c'est lui!

[@TheSaucysdead113]

HMS We’re Off! Lmfao

[@DiracComb.7585]

3:15 can someone explain this bit with Norway. It feels very confusing to apply only to say no afterwards.

[@cgt3704]

They held a referendum asking if the norwegians agreed with the membership, but it turns out they were not. They feared that joining the EC would mean losing their sovereignty and their regulations on carbons and fisheries. This sentiment is still strong to this day.

[@georgeford6056]

What I don't see in the comments is the fact that the current EU bears little resemblance to the EU the UK joined. The current version of the EU, with it's intrusive political powers and unelected overlords, has only been in effect under the current constitution (2004) since the Treaty of Lisbon finalized it in 2007. That's right folks, it took less than 10 years for the Brits to get fed up with the abuse from the unresponsive elitists who control the EU, the ever increasing loss of sovereignty and the massive burden on the UK taxpayers. In fact, the UK had been making calls for reforms for years ( which were ignored), long before the first rumblings for Brexit began.

[@pisse3000]

De Gaulle was right all along

[@GoldMario5500]

Yep but the remainshits ignores him

[@kabochaVA]

0:39 Totally to scale, especially for New Zealand. LoL

[@r.rsmith]

Is it just me or Australia, Canada and Japan seem to fit along so perfectly at 0:40 ?

[@PointFear]

Did you just Mistake New Zealand for Japan?

[@r.rsmith]

@@PointFear Did I?

[@PointFear]

​@@r.rsmith I know i am Replying To a Comment thats One Year old but Last Time i check Japan Does not look Like That

[@r.rsmith]

@@PointFear ik the difference between the two, but it I made a mistake back then...

[@CommissarMitch]

"We are gonna avoid that argument like it's the plague" Comedy gold