Can you imagine a reenactment of the massacre at Wounded Knee (or Ft. Pillow for that matter) without referring to the murder of Indians, er, excuse me, Native Americans as Native Americans? A reenactment without victims, without villains? How pathetic ... just as the Brits arranged off Portsmouth yesterday.
Every generation of British, indeed of English speaking people, have recognized Trafalgar to be a moment of signal historical significance. It meant that England would endure, safe behind its channel moat, contriving alliances against the seemingly impervious French Army, waging a worrying flanking war against Napoleon's neopotistic commissars in Spain. England would endure for a decade, safe from invasion, ruling the waves, provisioning itself and its growing list of allies with the fruits of its maritime dominance. Like a giant boa, The Royal Navy would constrict Napoleon's continental system, ultimately turning his conquered vassals against him.
Because Nelson had inspired the Royal Navy to adopt his patriotism, professionalism and courage, it had become a shining turn of the century example of a meritocracy. Most Americans do not appreciate the debt we as a democracy and land of milk and honey owe to the Royal Navy nor are we aware of the debt the Royal Navy owes to the example of Horatio Viscount, Lord Nelson. In fact, The Senior Service quite consciously modeled itself after the legend of Nelson and it is not an exaggeration to say that the officer of the watch in the frozen gloom of the Arctic winter stood to his duty against all hardship in the War of the Atlantic, conscious that he was following Nelson who, himself, had also served there.
After a decade, England would hurl the world against the fanaticism of the French Leftists. Napoleon would now be weakened by the flank attacks of the Bull Dog. He would be bled white of troops and treasure. But mostly, the decade bought by Trafalgar would see the Corsican Tyrant made vulnerable by his own ego, his mad invasion of Russia and the inevitable internal corruption of his post Jacobin tyranny. A decade after Trafalgar, they would break him at Waterloo.
Because of Trafalgar England would endure. Because of Trafalgar America would ascend. Because of Trafalgar, England would answer the call at its Finest Hour because they had done it before and they knew they could do it again.
Every generation of British have recognized the signal historical significance of Trafalgar - except, evidently, the last.
