The spirit of Dunkirk will see UK thrive outside the EU

Bar Sinister

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Jan 17, 2010
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No. The thing which stopped Hitler invading Britain was Britain's victory in the Battle of Britain, which happened when Britain fought ALONE against Germany.

In actual fact, the arguments for Britain leaving the EU hold far more water than the arguments for Scotland leaving the UK. Britain would thrive and be far better off outside the EU whereas Scotland would never survive without being propped up by English taxpayers.

Actually Britain was hardly alone. It is a nice myth, but in fact Britain was joined by numerous volunteers from nations like Canada, my father among them. The RAF might have triumphed but just check how many of its pilots were Poles, Canadians, Australians. and New Zealanders, etc. Did you know that Canada was established as the air training centre for the entire Commonwealth or that the plans for the Lancaster bomber were sent to Canada to be developed? Did you also know that in the Battle of the Atlantic many of of escort vessels were Canadian, allowing Britain to divert resources to other areas? Canada actually ended the war with the third largest navy by number of vessels in the world.

It is interesting how blind nationalism can be. By almost every parameter Scotland and Quebec would be worse off if they seceded, but nationalistic fervor gets in the way of facts. I see identical thinking in the anti-EU argument, especially from certain Brits who are not at all comfortable with anything or anyone that doesn't like steak and kidney pie and toad in the hole.

Quite frankly you seem to be living in the past, reveling in the glory days of the British empire - an empire that essentially ended by the end of the 1960s. Just in case you are interested, having been born in England I am a bit of an Anglophile, but I am also a realist. The world is moving toward greater cooperation and integration, not less and nations that buck that trend are going to be on the outside looking in.
 

Blackleaf

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Oct 9, 2004
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Dunkirk was a military disaster that left Britain almost devoid of military equipment.



I always found it odd that they declared war on Germany for invading Poland but did not declare war on the Soviet Union for doing the same thing.

You still find it odd even though I've probably explained the reasons for this to you about five times?

The Polish-British Common Defence Pact, which was signed two days after the German-Russian non-aggression treaty on 25th August 1939, pledged mutual assistance in case of military invasion from Germany only. If Britain had been invaded by Germany, Poland would have declared war on Germany to aid Britain, or vice versa. And it was vice versa which happened.

The British made clear to Poland in the wake of the Soviet invasion that the Polish-British Common Defence Pact only concerned invasion by Germany only and not invasion by the Soviets or anyone else. Britain's (and, before her, an independent England's) concern has historically been a country gaining control of Central Europe. From the 12th Century onwards, England historically opposed the dominant Central European power, from France then to Spain then to France again to, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Germany. Britain wasn't concerned with the Soviet Union expanding into Eastern Europe, but was concerned with Germany taking control of Northern and Central Europe. Hence why the Polish-British Common Defence Pact called for action by either country had either country been invaded by Germany and Germany only.

It's a very similar reason as to why Britain declared war on Germany in 1914. The 1839 Treaty of London had committed Britain to safeguard Belgium's neutrality in the event of invasion. In 1914 Germany invaded Belgium, thus leading to Britain to declare war on Germany according to the 1839 Treaty of London.

Yeah, and? Churchill was groveling for a couple of years for us to join, he knew you were a gonner if we hadn't.

Have you any evidence for that?

Actually Britain was hardly alone. It is a nice myth

It's not a myth. It is, in fact, one of the most well-known facts of WWII.

The RAF might have triumphed but just check how many of its pilots were Poles, Canadians, Australians. and New Zealanders, etc.

RAF Battle of Britain pilots by nationality (selected few)
:

British: 2,353
Polish: 145
New Zealand: 127
Canadian: 112
Australian: 26
American: 9

In total, there were 574 foreigners who fought in the RAF in the Battle of Britain. Just under a fifth of all the RAF pilots in the Battle of Britain were foreign. Not that big of a number.

Did you know that Canada was established as the air training centre for the entire Commonwealth
I didn't know that, because it's not true.
or that the plans for the Lancaster bomber were sent to Canada to be developed?
These differed little from their British-built predecessors (the most successful bombers of WWII), except for using Packard-built Merlin engines and American-style instrumentation and electrics.

Did you also know that in the Battle of the Atlantic many of of escort vessels were Canadian, allowing Britain to divert resources to other areas?
So? The Battle of the Atlantic was a largely British venture on the Allied side. During WWII, Britain's merchant navy was gargantuan. ONE THIRD of all the world's merchant shipping was British at the time.

In fact, even today, the British mercant navy is 12.5 times the size of the Canadian merchant navy and three times the size even of the US merchant navy.

I see identical thinking in the anti-EU argument
Britain will be far better off, far richer and far safer outside the EU. Britain should be a free, prosperous self-governing nation and should no longer be ruled by mainly unelected foreigners who care nothing for this great country. Britain should be ruled by the British, and Westminster, not Brussels or Strasbourg, should be preeminent. Britain should be OUT of the EU.

Here's a question for you: If a referendum were held in Canada tomorrow asking whether or not Canada should join the EU, do you believe that Canadians will vote to join the EU? I can't see it myself, yet here you are saying Britain should be in the EU.

an empire that essentially ended by the end of the 1960s.
I know. It's tragic. Officially, the Empire ended in 1997 with the handing back of Hong Kong. However, it still is possible to rebuild it. Britain can start by getting back Jamaica. The Jamaicans are desperate to be under British rule again. If we had a proper government in place, rather than a government largely consisting of, and led by, political pygmies who prefer Britain to be under the cosh of an undemocratic and economically sclerotic bugeoning superstate called the EU rather than making Britain a sovereign, self-governing state once again and rebuilding the country's greatness, then Jamaica would already be back under British rule. But I'm afraid Cameron's mob is more concerned with keeping Britain under Brussels rule than anything else.
 
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EagleSmack

Hall of Fame Member
Feb 16, 2005
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Odd how the Brits only declared war on Germany and not the Soviet Union as they both invaded Poland.

It's not a myth. It is, in fact, one of the most well-known facts of WWII.


I think China would question that.



RAF Battle of Britain pilots by nationality (selected few)
:

British: 2,353
Polish: 145
New Zealand: 127
Canadian: 112
Australian: 26
American: 9

In total, there were 574 foreigners who fought in the RAF in the Battle of Britain. Just under a fifth of all the RAF pilots in the Battle of Britain were foreign. Not that big of a number.


And they saved the Brits
 

Blackleaf

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Oct 9, 2004
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Looks like I've won the argument, then.

Not one cogent, intelligent rebuke of anything I've said even, in some cases, ignoring answers that I've provided.
 

Blackleaf

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 9, 2004
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You start more threads than anybody else here.

That's debateable.

Is that "replying to posts?"
What I'm doing right now is replying to posts and I do think I've done a fairly good job in rebuking the dubious "facts" which were placed before me (which I put a lot of hard work and effort into). And that's why you're a tad annoyed.
 

Tecumsehsbones

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What I'm doing right now is replying to posts and I do think I've done a fairly good job in rebuking the dubious "facts" which were placed before me.
I'm sure you do.

By the way, you might could wanna look up the difference between "rebuke" and "refute" before you do further damage to the English language.
 

Tecumsehsbones

Hall of Fame Member
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Well, if I'm so wrong, go back and correct everything that I got wrong in post No43. Because, let's face it, your mate Eaglesmack failed fairly miserably to do just that.
Why on earth would I waste the time to introduce reality to Princessworld?

You ain't that important. Everybody here knows you're crazy and stupid.
 

EagleSmack

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Still so odd how the Brits started a war against Germany and not both Germany and the Soviets. I guess they never really had any intention of helping the Polish.
 

Blackleaf

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 9, 2004
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That's right. The British began both wars with comparatively tiny armies. It doesn't make any sense to blame the British.

Germany started both world wars.

Britain's army has long been small compared to some of her Continental neighbours because Britain is an island nation. Her military strength traditionally lies in her navy. Britain is a nautical power, not a land power.
 

Bar Sinister

Executive Branch Member
Jan 17, 2010
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You still find it odd even though I've probably explained the reasons for this to you about five times?

The Polish-British Common Defence Pact, which was signed two days after the German-Russian non-aggression treaty on 25th August 1939, pledged mutual assistance in case of military invasion from Germany only. If Britain had been invaded by Germany, Poland would have declared war on Germany to aid Britain, or vice versa. And it was vice versa which happened.

The British made clear to Poland in the wake of the Soviet invasion that the Polish-British Common Defence Pact only concerned invasion by Germany only and not invasion by the Soviets or anyone else. Britain's (and, before her, an independent England's) concern has historically been a country gaining control of Central Europe. From the 12th Century onwards, England historically opposed the dominant Central European power, from France then to Spain then to France again to, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Germany. Britain wasn't concerned with the Soviet Union expanding into Eastern Europe, but was concerned with Germany taking control of Northern and Central Europe. Hence why the Polish-British Common Defence Pact called for action by either country had either country been invaded by Germany and Germany only.

It's a very similar reason as to why Britain declared war on Germany in 1914. The 1839 Treaty of London had committed Britain to safeguard Belgium's neutrality in the event of invasion. In 1914 Germany invaded Belgium, thus leading to Britain to declare war on Germany according to the 1839 Treaty of London.



Have you any evidence for that?



It's not a myth. It is, in fact, one of the most well-known facts of WWII.


RAF Battle of Britain pilots by nationality (selected few)
:

British: 2,353
Polish: 145
New Zealand: 127
Canadian: 112
Australian: 26
American: 9

In total, there were 574 foreigners who fought in the RAF in the Battle of Britain. Just under a fifth of all the RAF pilots in the Battle of Britain were foreign. Not that big of a number.

I didn't know that, because it's not true.
These differed little from their British-built predecessors (the most successful bombers of WWII), except for using Packard-built Merlin engines and American-style instrumentation and electrics.

So? The Battle of the Atlantic was a largely British venture on the Allied side. During WWII, Britain's merchant navy was gargantuan. ONE THIRD of all the world's merchant shipping was British at the time.

In fact, even today, the British mercant navy is 12.5 times the size of the Canadian merchant navy and three times the size even of the US merchant navy.

Britain will be far better off, far richer and far safer outside the EU. Britain should be a free, prosperous self-governing nation and should no longer be ruled by mainly unelected foreigners who care nothing for this great country. Britain should be ruled by the British, and Westminster, not Brussels or Strasbourg, should be preeminent. Britain should be OUT of the EU.

Here's a question for you: If a referendum were held in Canada tomorrow asking whether or not Canada should join the EU, do you believe that Canadians will vote to join the EU? I can't see it myself, yet here you are saying Britain should be in the EU.

I know. It's tragic. Officially, the Empire ended in 1997 with the handing back of Hong Kong. However, it still is possible to rebuild it. Britain can start by getting back Jamaica. The Jamaicans are desperate to be under British rule again. If we had a proper government in place, rather than a government largely consisting of, and led by, political pygmies who prefer Britain to be under the cosh of an undemocratic and economically sclerotic bugeoning superstate called the EU rather than making Britain a sovereign, self-governing state once again and rebuilding the country's greatness, then Jamaica would already be back under British rule. But I'm afraid Cameron's mob is more concerned with keeping Britain under Brussels rule than anything else.

I can't reply to all of your historical errors, but let's just say that it explains why your post are so ridiculous. The fact is - your don't know your own history. Here are two links to the Commonwealth Air Training Plan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Commonwealth_Air_Training_Plan
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan - The Second World War - History - Remembrance - Veterans Affairs Canada

And I am not going to comment further with someone who is too stupid to understand how over 45,000 Canadians died in World War II. Continue to live on in your fantasy world in which the British Empire still exists.