Because you are pressing the issue, perhaps I should point out that The British Empire was an incredibly wealthy economic concern. Americans of the mid-20 century well remembered that England tried to turn Americans into economic slaves to the benefit of England .(1700’s onward) Moreover, England declared war on America , not just once, but twice: 1776 and again in 1812.
Until the mid WW2 period, The British Empire was sweating and oppressing a half billion Asiatics. Those in power in the U.K didn’t give a rats arse about the starving Asians of India. Much of The British Empires wealth came directly from the oppression of India.
One might well ask, why the U.S. should have GIVEN, free of charge, goods, and services, AND at the same time sacrifice the lives of American merchant marines which were being sunk by U-boats. ?
It seems to me that you are saying “America should have given us free food , while at the same time we keep all of our gold”.
Sorry to say this but the days of The British Empire, and gun-boat diplomacy are long passed. Get used to it.
Funny, isn’t it, how everyone these days condemns the British Empire, forgetting that it spread knowledge and development to many third-world countries like India, who is now becoming one of the strongest and most influential countries in the world.
Oh, you naughty British!
And why does everyone, at the same time, conveniently forget the Spanish Empire and the Ottoman Empire, and to a much more limited extent, even the French ‘Empire’?
Much more trendy to condemn the British, of course.
It’s not comforting to remember that Our Government had to get down on it’s knees to beg for assistance in a European war in which certain groups were being gassed if they were deemed to be “not worthy”.
We’re grateful for the help of the Commonwealth Countries, and others who came to the assistance.
Bakerman - I’m not pressing the issue. As I responded to Tedc - he has put things very clearly into perspective. I thanked him once and I’ll thank him again for his further clarification - also very well put.
Secondly - your quote is completely wrong. I’m certainly NOT saying America should have given us free food. As for the gold - the UK had to collect that from some far off country (South Africa/South America) while people in the UK starved! No thanks to America for generosity!!! Do try not to push the self gratification too far - you don’t deserve it!
As for “Get used to it” - I suggest you do just that!!! ,in the same way that the parents of Harry Dunn have had to get used to the fact that their son’s killer will not be returned to the UK to face charges because she is American!! WHY do Americans feel the rest of the world should kowtow to them??? In absolutely NO WAY will I EVER feel subservient to an American!
Lindyloo,
I don’t understand how/why you feel that Americans expect Brits, or anyone else, to kowtow to us. . I thought I make it extremely clear that I, for one, did not believe that. For that matter, I have never encountered anyone who felt that way. That being said, I have, however, encountered numerous Brits while traveling abroad who acted extremely superior. Odd, huh ?
I now suggest that we drop the subject before someone says something which he will later regret.
Hold on there!! This thread began as a discussion about WW2. Now it is turning into a “America should have done this, that and the other”
Let,s get back to what post one was all about.
That was a good post Post bakerman !
And agrees with my analysis of events !
Without American intervention, and the commonwealth contribution
UK was a non starter,even if we had been firmer earlier dealing with
Hitler we were totally unprepared? We hadn’t even recovered from
the first world war, our ships were old and outdated? Our army was
small. and still relied on a pre Boers war rifle ??
Even with American and commonwealth help, we would have been
hard put to beat Germany without the Russian interventions??
And likewise the Russians would have been hard put to defeat
the Nazis without American help also ??
So perhaps we should thank the Japanese most for bringing
the Americans in on our side?? They could d have gone the other way
before pearl harbour happened !!
You’re absolutely right. Were it not for Pearl then I very much doubt if America would have done anything other than sell armaments and other materials to both sides as had been the starting position.
