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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... Given India's apparent rejection of as reasonable an offer as it could expect to get in the middle of a war crisis ( including even an offer to appoint an Indian to be Defence Coordination Member ) , it was not hard to justify vigorous ...
... Given the diverse composition of the population of Britain's richest colony , it was understandable that during the war there was little unity amongst them . The Chinese community was the most violently opposed to Japanese occupation ...
... given that he had no official position , he was regarded with reserve by the Governor and the Commander - in - Chief , both of whom were responsible directly to the British government in Whitehall , not to its roving proconsul . Given ...