The Entente cordiale

From about 1900, Francophiles in Britain and Anglophiles in France began to spread a study and mutual respect and love of the culture of the country on the other side of the English Channel. Francophile and Anglophile societies developed, further introducing Britain to French food and wine, and France to English sports like rugby. French and English were already the second languages of choice in Britain and France respectively. Eventually this developed into a political policy as the new united Germany was seen as a potential threat. Louis Blériot, for example, crossed the Channel in an aeroplane in 1909. Many saw this as symbolic of the connection between the two countries. This period in the first decade of the 20th century became known as the Entente cordiale, and continued in spirit until the 1940s. Up to the 1920s, relations between Britain and France were arguably closer than those between Britain and the United States.

First World War

Between 1914 and 1918 the British and French were allies against the Central Powers after Belgium and a small part of northern France had been invaded by the German army.

There was strong co-operation between the British and French forces. The battles took place on several different fronts including at Gallipoli, but most particularly in the trenches in France against the Germans. Unable to advance against the combined primary alliance powers of the British, French, and later American forces as well as the embargo of German controlled North Sea seaports, the Germans eventually surrendered after four years of heavy fighting.

Treaty of Versailles

The British and French colonial empires reached their peaks after the First World War, a reflection of the power of their alliance.

Following the war, at the Treaty of Versailles the British and French worked closely together, as their interests were largely similar. Both countries were interested in creating a weakened Germany, as opposed to a more moderate American position. Both were also keen to protect and expand their empires, in the face of calls for self-determination. On a visit to London, French leader Georges Clemenceau was hailed by the British crowds. Lloyd George was given a similar reception in Paris.

Both states joined the League of Nations, and both signed agreements of defence of several countries, most significantly Poland. The Treaty of Sèvres split the Middle East between the two states, in the form of Mandates. However the outlook of the nations were different during the inter-war years, while France saw itself inherently as a European power, Britain enjoyed close relationships with Australia, Canada and New Zealand and at one time flirted with the idea of Empire Free Trade, a form of protectionism that would have seen large tariffs placed on goods from France.

Second World War

Both states initially pursued a policy of appeasement towards Nazi Germany. When this failed, they both declared war in September 1939 in response to the German invasion of Poland.

In the years leading up to World War II, both countries followed a similar diplomatic path of appeasement of Germany in Czechoslovakia, despite a French military excursion there. As Nazi intentions became clear, France pushed for a harder line but the British demurred, believing diplomacy could solve the disputes.

After guaranteeing the independence of Poland, both declared war on Germany on the same day, 3 September 1939 after the Germans ignored an ultimatum to withdraw from the country. When Germany began its attack on France in 1940, British troops and French troops again fought side by side. Eventually, after the Germans came through the Ardennes, it became clear that France would not be able to fend off the German attack, and Churchill pledged to France that Britain would continue to fight for France's freedom, even if it must do so alone. The final bond between the two nations was so strong that members of the British cabinet had proposed a temporary union of the two countries for the sake of morale. The plan was drawn up by Jean Monnet, who later created the Common Market. However the French government felt (amongst other things) that the plan for union would reduce France to the level of a British Dominion, and so the proposal was turned down, and shortly afterwards France fell to the Germans. The Free French resistance, led by Charles de Gaulle, were sheltered in London.

In southern France a collaborative government known as Vichy France was set up, allied to the Nazis. The British were soon at war with the Vichy state, destroying its navy and moving into colonies such as Senegal on behalf of the Free French government.

Following D-Day, relations between the two peoples were at a high, as the British were greeted as liberators. Following the victory over Germany in 1945, Britain and France became close as both feared the Americans would withdraw from Europe leaving them vulnerable to the Soviet Union's expanding communist bloc. Britain strongly advocated that France be given a zone of occupied Germany. Both states were amongst the five Permanent Members of the new UN Security Council, where they commonly collaborated.