The U.K.'s White House tweet, commemorating the 200th anniversary of the burning of the iconic structure, sparked much controversy over the weekend, prompting the British Embassy to issue an online apology.
The initial social media post on Sunday featured a photo of a White House cake complete with an American flag and Union Jack. "Only sparklers this time!" read the caption, in reference to the 1814 burning of the White House by British troops during the War of 1812.
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Twitter users immediately recoiled, branding the tweet "tasteless."
"It's another example of Americans who just don't get wry
British humor," wrote Mashable's Max Knoblauch. "Apparently, 1814 is murky territory in terms of the 'too soon' rule, and the tweet was met with some harsh criticism."
The British Embassy later issued an apology on Monday.
Some historians consider the War of 1812 America's
"second war of independence," according to the History Channel, where — despite the fall of the White House — American troops repelled British efforts to attack New York, Baltimore, and New Orleans. The battles eventually led to the Treaty of Ghent in 1815, which ended the war.
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