Great Britain has today paid off the loan that the US gave us in 1945?

Question

What sort of best friends are they , who would make us pay every penny and interest after 60 years.?

By the way, the loans made to other countries were not pursued, but we were really struggling after the war and all the US was interested in was our repayments and getting their hands on our overseas bases, that was one of the conditions of the loan to us.

It was 1billion pounds at the time 29 billion today. The US only came into the war because both Japan and Germany declared war on them. NOT the other way round.

http://uk.news.yahoo

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/28122006/325/britain-finallypays-worldwarloan

KevinStud: I hope you are eternally grateful to the French, for helping you 'to kick our butts' .Thicko.

Answer 1

Yes we did borrow a lot of money from the US. and yes they had us with our hands tied behind our backs. We were at war, we were almost defeated, there was literally just "a hand full of us " on a tiny island, being per sued by one of the largest countries on the continent. We were brave enough to WANT to fight on against such odds,America did not win the war alone, far from it, countless times they were very thank full to have us on their side. None the less, we agreed to the terms of the loan. We broke those terms several times. The loan should have be fully paid up in the 1960`s but thanks to a labour government (both Harold Wilson' and James Callahan) who failed to make payments, the term of the loan became extended and the interest on it trebled. Well we are now free of the US `blackmail` we are even financially, we owe nothing.Let us see how our special relationship will be now. I truly believe that had this loan not been in existence when we went to war with Iraq, we would not have gone to war. I honestly believe that we got a `discount` off our loan for siding with them.
Please do not take this as fact, because it is what I believe, no one else, and don`t think that I dislike Americans. Quite the opposite, we have four Americans in our inner family. I am just glad that the slate with America is now clean. I think history will tell the rest.

Answer 2

Shocking really. The US still owes us for ww1 when thet turned up to the battlefield without rifles, helmets or artillery (all provided by the British and French)

We ought to remind them they owe us for ww1, the US capture of the Phillipines which was only successful because of the support of a Royal Navy fleet, the US civil war when Britain helped both sides (in fact the majority of Americans killed in that war were shot with old British rifles sold to the US as surplus), the war of 1812 when the US invaded canada, the US revolution when the colonies not only comited treason but also tried to invade canada afterwards, and the French and indian war, war of jenkins ear, Queen Anns war, King James war etc etc... I could go

Answer 3

I'm shocked! at least we did pay back every penny. Does anyone know how much it was? I'm sure the US have enough money without having interest added onto the loan. And what the person said about them not paying us back after WWI. Typical.
29 Billion!! jesus! Lets get our troops out and stop helping them.

Answer 4

I thought exactly the same when I heard this on the news this evening. As some of the other answers have indicated, the USA is a most selfish nation and the 'special relationship' operates only on the USA's terms. At an individual level, many Americans whom I have met are lovely people, but collectively - and especially under the Bush administration - they are selfish morons who expect the UK to support their crazy wars without question.

Answer 5

I know to a 'Brit" it doesn't seem fair. I know it doesn't to this Canadian, but in reality that is the way the world works. Those with power take advantage of those without power..........to be fair the interest rate was only 2% so you guys got a deal of sorts.

As the old saying goes - what goes around comes around - the U S is in much more debt (trillion times more than the Brits were) today and to whom do owe these dollars to you may ask?..........Why China of course and they didn't get the deal you guys did. The great great grandchildren of the those now living in the U S will still be paying for the BUSH administrations' follies. So take heart, a weak US had to go to their arch enemy and borrow money - lots and lots or it.
Makes me smile..........oh the irony.

Answer 6

The sort of best friends that pumped money into Germany and Japan after the war.

Answer 7

The US had something to gain by helping us out, a fascist Europe would be a threat to them as well in many ways. So you have to ask why we owed them money?
I feel very sorry for Iraq- how much will they "owe" America for the democracy and freedom which they are enjoying at the moment!

Answer 8

60 years to pay off hell, We didnt give Bananna republics 60 years to pay offr loans, but British monies is what built America up in the 19th century, and therfore Uncle Sam let it slide since it be hypocrtical to crack down on them when we never paid debts to other nations much. If it was El Salivdor taking 60 years the spickets of loans would be **** of quickly its hypocrisy, but the world is not a fair place.

Answer 9

Not just poor friends....they owed UK a substancial amount after WW1 but because of the depression in the 1930's THEY decided their debt could not be repaid!!!!
Oh and Wolfie .....you truly are a moron if you believe that the US saved the Brits.........jeeeesh

Answer 10

You're right, best friends shouldn't lend each other money. It always results in hurt feelings.

I haven't heard this story by the way, do you have a link?