Comments | gweny: Too many Miller indices...

gweny

Too many Miller indices...

Sep 15, 2005 05:19

Quick, does anybody remember what the XYZ affair was?

Comments 4

hazelbunny September 15 2005, 07:45:52 UTC

I remember that we learned it in Avick. But obviously not well enough, because I don't remember anything else.

I think there was something about ambassadors to and from France or something? Various scandalous incriminating letters were discovered?

I'm no help. Sorry Gwen.

elpengwino September 15 2005, 13:15:19 UTC

Um, something to do with the Cold War...maybe...
I dunno, I think that the previous answer is probably right.

pysoprincess26 September 15 2005, 18:43:31 UTC

I haven't seen you since Kika's party, and this is probably a dumb question...but by "traffic", do you mean literally? You live in LA? I haven't been on LJ for MONTHS...so I've missed a lit.

stdarthbassoon September 15 2005, 19:51:45 UTC

No: it was during the presidency of John Adams. XYZ were French envoys who demanded a bribe from a United States diplomatic mission in order to meet officially with their minister, Talleyrand. Of course (being American diplomats - poor and unversed in negotiations) they flatly refused and were quite insulted. It was during the French Revolution (and the US was an ally of France); the problem arose when the US could not help France and problems with Jay's Treaty.