Comments on: Book Review: Britain's War Machine, by David Edgerton http://www.historynet.com/book-review-britains-war-machine-by-david-edgerton.htm From the World's Largest History Magazine Publisher Sat, 25 May 2013 15:12:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: James Murray http://www.historynet.com/book-review-britains-war-machine-by-david-edgerton.htm#comment-871099 James Murray Fri, 08 Feb 2013 22:26:52 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13685670#comment-871099 'Edgerton has a few blind spots, in particular his tendency to overlook Britain's horrendous fiscal position throughout the war—a budgetary crisis that prompted the United States' Lend-Lease program. And he never fully addresses the despair that engulfed Britain after the February 1942 fall of Singapore or the mounting losses at sea.' 1--Britain was involved in reverse lend lease, to the US, along with the USSR, Australia and New Zealand, from 1942-45. Britain GAVE the US £1.2 BILLION (note british billions, not US). Hardly the act of a bankrupt military ally and partner. 2--By 1942, the worst for the British (and Canadians) of the Atlantic sea war was over. Britain suffered some terrible reverses in WW2, but the reviewer is wrong if he thinks we would have given up at any point. If we could survive literally the destruction of our own homes, then the loss of Singapore, HMS Hood or defeats in Crete and Greece were not going to make us throw in the towel. 'Edgerton has a few blind spots, in particular his tendency to overlook Britain's horrendous fiscal position throughout the war—a budgetary crisis that prompted the United States' Lend-Lease program. And he never fully addresses the despair that engulfed Britain after the February 1942 fall of Singapore or the mounting losses at sea.'

1–Britain was involved in reverse lend lease, to the US, along with the USSR, Australia and New Zealand, from 1942-45. Britain GAVE the US £1.2 BILLION (note british billions, not US). Hardly the act of a bankrupt military ally and partner.

2–By 1942, the worst for the British (and Canadians) of the Atlantic sea war was over. Britain suffered some terrible reverses in WW2, but the reviewer is wrong if he thinks we would have given up at any point. If we could survive literally the destruction of our own homes, then the loss of Singapore, HMS Hood or defeats in Crete and Greece were not going to make us throw in the towel.

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