World war one and world war two.

[Antone]

I wouldn't agree with that. Our Empire was never threatened.

It was threatened by the rise of an expansionist Germany that would upset the existing balance of power. The inability of the British Empire to tolerate another mainland European empire was explicitly discussed, I believe, as a reason for war. I'll try and dig out some sources.

[Chris_Sleeps]

It was threatened by the rise of an expansionist Germany that would upset the existing balance of power.

I can agree that it'd upset Europe. It would've upset mainland Britain. As a consequence that Germany was going to fight us for India, or Canada, or Australia - do you believe that?

[shane39]

I can agree that it'd upset Europe. It would've upset mainland Britain. As a consequence that Germany was going to fight us for India, or Canada, or Australia - do you believe that?

 

The Germans tried to convince the Indians in Malaya/Singapore to join them and fight against the British.

[Jim Graham]

The last two world wars were fought for a just course many of our brave men sacrificed there life's for our country and freedom, there is no doubt that with out there sacrifice our life's now would be very diffident,I come from an army family my father fought and was wounded in the war my grandfather was a decorated war hero from the first world war,I have read many books on the wars but I just keep coming back to the same conclusion that in both of the wars we basically did not need to get involved as no one directly threatened or even set foot on our soil it just seems that we just got in broiled in a fight that was nothing to do with us at all, what kind of world would it have been if Hitler had won the second world war or if we did not get involved in the first place,or if the Germans had won the first world war that would have been a different world.

 

 

 

Hitler was clearly a threat to the UK and, just as importantly our Empire so we had to protect our own economic interests.

 

Despite all the mumbo jumbo about treaties WWI seems to have been mostly about making sure our royal family kept their franchise.

[Antone]

I can agree that it'd upset Europe. It would've upset mainland Britain. As a consequence that Germany was going to fight us for India, or Canada, or Australia - do you believe that?

What British Imperial politicians believed was the threat from a new mainland European empire is the important thing to this discussion. It's no great stretch to see the thinking . . . . An expanded and strengthened Germany >>>> further expansionism >>>>>> threats to British Imperial interests in the middle east, the Suez Canal etc >>>>>>>>> Suez falls to German interests >>>>>>>> India isolated from the mother country etc etc.

 

There are other dimensions too . . . . I imagine British Empire fear of Germany was based in large part on knowledge of its industrial vitality. They'd have been sh*t scared of Germany actually realising its potential by conquering colonies that gave it a much expanded protected market.

 

Interesting subject and something I haven't read enough on

[HeadingNorth]

What British Imperial politicians believed was the threat from a new mainland European empire is the important thing to this discussion.

 

That's pretty much the nail on the head. Britain's ostensible reason for joining the 1914 war was that Germany had invaded Belgium - but the reason Britain had decided to make an enemy of Germany, a country (or group of countries) with whom we'd been allied for about seven centuries, was nothing more than greed and selfishness. Britain should be allowed a huge empire and no other country should be allowed any part of it.

 

It's understandable that the British people of the time believed the propaganda they were being spoon-fed. It's mind-boggling that a century later, some people still believe it.