The Second World War and Great Britain - we were not alone

It was posted by an ex British Army Officer today- to counter some of the ridiculous statements oft made recently in support of Brexit and No Deal:

' This post is for all those who complacently - even gloatingly - say things like "We stood and won WW2 alone" and "We survived rationing without help during WW2, Brexit will be a piece of cake".

WW2 started in 1939. Britain tried to save Belgium and France by fighting alongside them, but failed and was forced into an heroic retreat (Dunkirk). She also tried, but failed, to help Norway. She was booted out of Crete and Greece.

The Battle of Britain was heroic and a close run thing, with RAF fighter command bolstered by many pilots from France, Eastern Europe, the US and the Empire. North Africa was a close run thing, but although supported by South Africa and other Empire forces and having fought many heroic battles, final victory was only possible after US forces reinforced ours from the west.

Britain was evicted from all her Far East colonies, as were the Dutch and French from theirs. Only British India was saved, with huge numbers of Indian and Gurkha troops supporting ours - and US air support. The US finally beat the Japanese in 1945, with allied support, including British, Dutch, ANZAC and Chinese - finally resorting to the use of atomic bombs.

The real land war to reclaim Europe couldn't begin until the 1944, when sufficient US and Canadian forces had been built up in the UK, Allied forces - including Poles and Africans had advanced north in Italy, and the huge Russian military machine had swung onto a westward offensive. D-Day and subsequent operations involved British, American, Empire and other Allied forces (including Poles), and resistance fighters, all courageous and costly. Without Russia, the war would have dragged on for years longer, and without America, not won at all.

RAF bomber command played a huge role in subduing Nazi Germany for the bulk of the war, but was almost dwarfed by the huge USAF.

At sea, the RN valiantly fought in most maritime theatres of war, notably - and increasingly effectively - protecting huge conveys of US supplies to Britain in the Atlantic and allied supplies to Russia. It also destroyed a number of enemy capital ships, helped with various blockades and the relief of Malta.

Britain's intelligence services played a huge role, as did her codebreakers, special forces, spies and agents supporting resistance movements across Europe, again aided by foreign expertise and manpower - and the original German Enigma coding technology supplied by Polish resistance fighters and sample codes from France. Britain's civil defence, emergency services, industry and general population also contributed enormously, but were heavily dependent on food and supplies from North America, the Empire and else-where.

WW2 ended in allied victory in 1945, but, while Britain was valiant and resilient, the 'heavy lifting' fell mainly to the US and Russia. '

and the Irish ?

I hardly think GN needs a Swiss National to tell us what happened during the last war.

I think leaving the EU is seriously affecting some posters judgements.