And the US made great gains on the back of our indebtedness. We handed over many of our technical developments to them, cancelled many of our projects (TSR2 amongst them) and promised to buy American equipment instead. We handed over bases and land on indefinite leases and displaced populations.
No these 'loans' were a millstone around our necks and, whilst France was able to act in its own interests, we have always trailed after the US.
Perhaps now we can start thinking about our own interests.