Topic is The myth of lonely tiny island of 1940?Sid Guttridge wrote: ↑14 Apr 2020, 18:40Hi Ружичасти Слон,
I have already answered your points in posting:
You post, "I not agree 45 millions population on 1939 was small." I did not say it was. I said it was small compared with the German Reich's population, which was nearly twice as large.
You post, "Small size land = easiest for to defend". If you have a large enough army. However, in late June 1940 the UK had only one fully equipped division, because most other equipment had been lost in France.
You post, "Isolated?". Well, the UK is on an island and the entire Atlantic oast of Europe was in German hands or that of unfriendly neutrals like Spain. At the same time the USSR was cooperating with Hitler under the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and the USA was still isolationist.
You post, "Illequipped was be everything about choices." Yes, but that dsoesn't alter the fact that briefly in mid 1940 the UK coulds field only one fully equipped infantry division, and this was Canadian.
You post, "I not understand why you must to ignore Empire." I didn't. I explained why it was of limited value in 1940, the year this thread is about.
You post, "British goverment was be government for 500 millions people not 45 millions." True, but less than 10% of them were in the UK. The rest were one or more oceans away and even less prepared for war than the UK.
You post, "Was be Empire that was give resources and safe spaces for to train prepare and build." True, but that took time and did not much apply in 1940, which is the year this thread is about.
You post, "Germany was not have such places." In 1940 Germany had the whole continent of Europe west of the USSR available, if it so desired.
You post, "On 1940 British empire was be much bigger than German empire on population and size." Yes, but over 90% of that population was not in Europe and one or more oceans away; most of that population was not usable militarily,b ecause it could not be equipped even minimally; and virtually none of the few trained and equipped Dominion and Colonial troops were available in 1940 because the Empire also had to defend itself. For example, the entire Indian Army was designated for Imperial defence around the Indian Ocean in order to releae British Army units for home service.
Remember, this thread is specifically about 1940, which is what I am talking about. The Empire became increasingly useful as it mobilised in later years, but in mid 1940 this was much more promise than reality.
Cheers,
Sid.
P.S. You might also like to consider that the USSR lost nearly 30 million lives in a four-year war largely against Germany out of a population of 180 million. (About 17%).
By contrast, the British Empire achieved the same goal with the deaths of about 2,000,000 lives in a six year war against Germany, Italy and, latterly, Japan from a population of some 500 million in the entire Empire. (About 0.4%).
Looked at that way, British policy doesn't look so stupid - and it never had an arrangement with Hitler like the Molotv-Ribbentrop Pact.
The mass expenditure of lives is not a merit in itself.
I not agree island was tiny on population or area.
I not agree island was lonely.
Population on island was be 45 millions. Not tiny.
Population on empire was 500 millions. Not tiny.
Island was be part of biggest empire and was have many friends not on empire.
In 1940 army was be small. In 1940 equipment was be little. All was be choices what not make island tiny or lonely.
Britain was can to have big army and much equipment like Germany when was make different decisions.