British Embassy forced to apologise for tweet celebrating anniversary of burning of White House

[Recursion]

As a War of 1812 buff, I thought this was awesome, but apparently people's mileage varied.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11054506/British-Embassy-forced-to-apologise-for-tweet-celebrating-anniversary-of-burning-of-White-House.html

The British Embassy in Washington DC has been forced to apologise after attracting the the ire of some Americans by tweeting a photograph of a cake celebrating the anniversary of the burning of the White House.

Sent from the official Embassy twitter account, @UKinUSA, the tweet showed a cake with a perfect miniature reproduction of the White House on top, flanked by British and American flags and surrounded by sparkler fireworks.

The caption accompanying the photograph read: “Commemorating the 200th anniversary of burning the White House. Only sparklers this time!”

It was set against a background of a sunlit swimming pool.

[NutmegYankee]

1. I don't see why they got angry.

Given the flags in the photo, it's obvious it was meant in friendship. It is a notable event in our history and it's nice to point out how we went from bitter enemies to friends today.

[Recursion]

3. Exactly

The Marine in me also wants to point out that the one public building the Limeys left standing in DC was the Commandant's house, because the Marines were the only unit that didn't retreat at Bladensburg.

[NutmegYankee]

5. They spared the barracks too.

An example of the Honor often demonstrated in 18th/19th century warfare.

[Recursion]

7. Did they?

I didn't know that. I never lived at the Barracks but I did live at the Navy Yard for a while. Great history there, and still my favorite neighborhood in DC.

[NutmegYankee]

8. That neighborhood is changing a lot now.

I worked at the Navy Yard a few years back. Ever since the BRAC moved several commands to the Yard and the stadium got built, the neighborhood has been getting redeveloped.

[msanthrope]

2. Okay....that was a pretty funny tweet. Some people have no sense of

history.

I'm looking forward to the Waterloo Bicentennial next year.

[Recursion]

4. Exactly

And, yeah, if I can make it to Belgium next year I will...

[msanthrope]

6. My old reenactment group wants to go, since they can mount.

Expensive trip. But Belgium is lovely. I spent a year there.

[roamer65]

9. I don't think we extolled the burning of York (Toronto).

Therefore, it's best they leave the burning of DC alone.

[Orrex]

10. Too soon.

[Recursion]

11. That said, I have one issue with the article

Some Americans appear to continue to feel aggrieved about the incident, part of the 1812 war between the US and Great Britain which began as a dispute over American attacks on Canada.

Yeah... umm... impressment had something to do with it, too.