Yah, the Netherlands & French came through for us during the Revolutionary War - & even @ that, it was a close-run thing. France never did recognize the CSA during the Civil War, as I recall - whether that's a good thing or no will depend on how you view the Civil War.
Yep, we helped liberate France in WWI, & were more instrumental in WWII. But then again, we helped arm, equip, transport, supplied intel, diplomatic cover, air support & funding for the French in their doomed attempt to retake Indochina. Post-WWII was very hard on the French. We might have done them a favor if we had stayed out of VN altogether, & recommended to them forcefully that they do the same (& followed our own advice, of course).
So, in WWI & WWII, we were acting on our own behalf. Yah, we dress up the motivations & policy & all - the Realpolitik reasons never look very good on the floats & parades. But notice how long it took us to field troops in the two World Wars. The World Wars were the death of the old empires, & the birth of the Soviets' & ours. We're still standing, the Russians have cycled through the USSR & back out the other side.
For the balance, history is still being written. We'll just have to wait & see. The French & British? Yah, they're always @ each others' throats. That's unlikely to change, although their common interest in becoming a collective kind of superpower might yet weld them @ hip & knee. (Unlikely, I think, in my heart of hearts. But as the old folks say, You never can tell ...)
Peter1469 (07-14-2015)