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Billypisschips t1_j1vcv9y wrote

Reply to comment by Slartibartfast39 in TIL Winston Churchill opposed the American use of napalm during the Korean war but still allowed Americans to publish claims of British support for American napalm attacks. by jamescookenotthatone

As a wartime leader Churchill is unsurpassed. His pig headed refusal to consider anything bar complete victory over the Nazis, and determination to fight on alone in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds against the greatest military force the world had ever seen, saved our island from the jack boot of fascism. As a peacetime leader he was a typical tory, with few, if any redeeming qualities. By the time of the Korean war, and his second stint as PM, he knew Britain was very much the junior partner in its relationship with the US, and spoke accordingly. Publicly supporting an ally whilst privately questioning the morality of their actions was about all he could do.

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dressageishard t1_j1xaxbf wrote

I have nothing but the highest regard for Churchill. He had bulldogged determination to fight the Germans. The UK fought the war alone until the US got in. To me that deserves the world's respect.

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tipdrill541 t1_j1yjutc wrote

Well the US did supply them with weapons and other resources during the years before pearl harbour, despite them officially being neutral

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Billypisschips t1_j1ykc04 wrote

In those early days food was the most important thing. We should never forget the bravery of the merchant seamen, including thousands of Americans, that stopped Britain starving to death.

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badabingbadaboey t1_j1ymxrl wrote

"Fight on alone"? You mean as the biggest navy and empire of history? With an excellently motorized and equipped army?

He made some good speeches but he's not the British Jesus..

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Billypisschips t1_j1yqx2d wrote

Even the largest navy in the world couldn't defend an island against the luftwaffe. They had a relatively small standing army, which could never be described as excellently equipped, and less so after everything was left in Dunkirk, was also ineffective against the luftwaffe. The bulk of Britain's defence came from Hurricane and Spitfire fighter planes, and a dwindling number of pilots bolstered by volunteers from the commonwealth and Poland. Britain's most effective weapon was the ordinary men and women who worked round the clock to build and repair the fighter planes, often whilst being bombed, with unfailing resilience, surpassing even the Germans in terms of output. So with mainland Europe conquered, America still following an isolationist policy, and the Soviets hoping for the best; Britain was indeed alone in defying the Nazis.

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