The British Empire and the Second World WarIn 1939 Hitler went to war not just with Great Britain; he also went to war with the whole of the British Empire, the greatest empire that there had ever been. In the years since 1945 that empire has disappeared, and the crucial fact that the British Empire fought together as a whole during the war has been forgotten. All the parts of the empire joined the struggle and were involved in it from the beginning, undergoing huge changes and sometimes suffering great losses as a result. The war in the desert, the defence of Malta and the Malayan campaign, and the contribution of the empire as a whole in terms of supplies, communications and troops, all reflect the strategic importance of Britain's imperial status. Men and women not only from Australia, New Zealand and India but from many parts of Africa and the Middle East all played their part. Winston Churchill saw the war throughout in imperial terms. The British Empire and the Second World War emphasises a central fact about the Second World War that is often forgotten. |
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... Atlantic . In March 1943 the RCN returned to Atlantic waters in charge of a new North - West Atlantic Command . This was commanded from Halifax by Rear - Admiral Murray , the first RCN theatre commander in history . In the same month an ...
... Atlantic from Gander airport . This war activity dramatically revived the territory's finances , leading to a large ... Atlantic as its backyard , and this , along with the actions of British explorers , settlers and whalers , had ...
... Atlantic world was important for the defence of the Indian Ocean and Middle East , because of the sea routes that ran through the Atlantic and around the Cape of Good Hope . Just as important , the Atlantic had a narrow gateway ...