If the author is an anti-German, anti-EU Brit, I can see where he would make such an assertion. This is like saying that the only way England would go metric is under the form a foreign dictatorship. Some English see Germany as a rival for control of the world's institutions and culture. Britain once ruled a large part of the world, now they rule nothing. In addition they find themselves a part of a quasi-political union that is run by nations they once fought for control of the world over. The British empire forced the world it controlled to use FFU and thought nothing of it. Now that things have flipped and others are telling them to go metric, they are crying human rights violations.
Now is it you who used the word England and not Britain or the UK? Because it may be possible that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland would welcome metrication while the English would rebel. Euric ----- Original Message ----- From: "Howard Ressel" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, 2004-07-01 07:53 Subject: [USMA:30265] Re: Metric Paramilitaries Ready to end Ceasefire. > Funny, I just read a Science Fiction alternate history book which takes > place in 2005 where in Germany won WWII. The book makes specific mention > how England (under German rule) was forced to go to the metric system > by.. the Nazi's. > > > <snip>> > >.....with Nazis in the past due to their very racist policies, the > >British National Party and the National Front, yet both are staunch > >supporters of the Imperial system and haters of the Metric system. > > > > Howard Ressel > Project Design Engineer, Region 4 > (585) 272-3372 > >