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. |
From inside the book
Results 1-3 of 78
... political , trade and foreign affairs autonomy , was also the most advanced territory of the British Empire and Commonwealth in terms of its industrial and economic development . It was so mature politically , in fact , that Canadian ...
... political agitation of their educated peers pursuing their ambition of greater participation in the government of their country or the return of effective Egyptian rule ( absent since General Gordon was cut down by the Mahdi at Khartoum ...
... political and govern- mental structure , and this practice continued during the war . An astute move was the ... political partnership between the Board of Ministers and the Governor . In absolute contrast to India and Burma , the ...