Originally Posted by
dazza
The idea that Britain was 'prepared' for a long drawn out conflict was poppycock!!! The OP was me rubbishing Chamberlain as an inept PM, and was not directed at the off-tangent essay you gave on the lack of German technological development [at the offset]. You say that 'economies win wars', well Britain was almost bankcrupt by early 1941.
As I have written, the UK/Franco GDP was 60% larger than Germany/Italy. Fact! The UK economy was as equal to Germany's economy in facing a drawn out war. The economy could cope with a drawn out conflict it would not collapse and history proves that was the case. At least the UK had a fully in place navy and a large bomber fleet. Germany was no more geared for a long war than the UK, and probably less, relying on reckless gambles that in France paid off. Hence why Speer was lauded as the industrial miracle makers in keeping German industry working under severe air attack.
In 1940 the UK did not envisage France falling, so sharing any economic war burden.
Tooze page 454:
"It was poor because of the incomplete industrial and economic development
of Germany".
(The economy and industry of Germany was deficient - silly to wage war)
These points, point to the foolishness of the Germans as they did not have
the ability to wage war against its larger neighbours.
After March 1941 our gold reserve had dwindled to such a state that the U.S were 'lending' us goods and supplies - to be paid for after the end of the war.
The gold dwindled because the USA saw an opportunity to asset strip the UK, whose buying ended the US soup lines. They would only take gold, while pre-war they never. 1941 is not 1940.
Although the British Government had committed itself to nearly $10,000 millions of orders from America, Britain's gold and dollar reserves were near exhaustion.
The American Government decided to prop up Britain as it neared bankruptcy, so on 10 January 1941 they produced a Bill entitled an "Act to promote the defence of the United States" (its number, H.R. 1776, was the year of American independence) which was put before the United States Congress and which was enacted on 11 March 1941. This Act became known as Lend-Lease, whereby America would lend Britain equipment which she would pay for once the war had finished. One month later British gold and dollar reserves had dwindled to their lowest ever point, $12 million.
The British were doing the fighting for the USA using much of their materials, and they charged for them. To be fair the UK mainly used its own manufactured arms. The US mainly provided industrial machinery, raw materials and food.
There was a reverse lend-lease, where the UK provided goods the USA could not produce themselves.
Before the USA entered the war the UK was teaming up with the USA to build the A bomb. The UK MAUD Committee predicted the UK could build the bomb by itself ion around two years. One member disagreed and then they moved to get the financial support of the USA. The bomb was seen as an economic way of winning the war - despite the fear the Germans may be advanced in A bomb technology, which they were not.
During WW2 the UK economy "grew" 60%. Tooze: "It was poor because of the incomplete industrial and economic development
of Germany".
(The economy and industry of Germany was deficient - silly to wage war)
These points, point to the foolishness of the Germans as they did not have the ability to wage sustained war against its larger neighbours.
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