Professor Bernard on Lots of Other Stuff

Final class in Cold War History with Professor J-I Bernard was yesterday. Here are a few gems from the past two weeks:

"I'm not an admirer of 'Tricky-Nick' but Nixon was wise--and Kissinger too, even though he had some hare-brained ideas about linkage."

"The Americans thought that China could be a partner in solving the world's problems, or more accurately, American problems in the world."

"The US had landed... or 'mooneded' a man."

"France had always been restive and worrisome--annoying."

"The French were upset by what they saw as the United States and the Soviet Union playing at nuclear dice."

"What you see in WikiLeaks is the daily bread of diplomacy. Diplomats are professional liars. It seems scandalous to some people but it is what they do."

Here's a joke he told in class:
Charles DeGaulle dies and goes to heaven. He appears in the presence of God, who remains seated as the former French President approaches. DeGaulle says, "Most people stand up to greet me." And God replies, "I'm afraid that if I stand up, you will take my seat."

"It's a cultural tradition in the US to assassinate presidents. It's a national sport."

"To the Spanish Communist Party who proposed Euro-Communism, Soviet Communism was outdated, prehistoric, and, you know, not valid."