Will somebody please point out to the Americans that?

Question

They didnt give the British any thing during the last war.They made us pay for it and we have only just finished the payment nearly 60 yrs later.Some friends they turned out to be.And will just one of them admit that if Britain had not declared war on Germany in 1939 then they would be speaking German now?
Please dont tell us about the axis and all that, we know. The American people didnt want to join in the war and they wouldnt have done. Never mind Japan Once they saw which way the war was going they new that if they didnt help out that they were in trouble.America was not a superpower in 1940. Britain was the only s/power we controled 25% of the world but even with all our resorses we didnt have enough, we were bled dry. We ask America for help and the only way that they would help us was if we purchased arms and food. They certainly never gave us anything. This is History not Hollywood. The British almost destoyed them selves trying to stop the Germans from overunning the world.

Answer 1

I think you need to read alittle bit more:

On 11th March 1941, Congress passed the Lend-Lease Act. The legislation gave President Franklin D. Roosevelt the powers to sell, transfer, exchange, lend equipment to any country to help it defend itself against the Axis powers.

A sum of $50 billion was appropriated by Congress for Lend-Lease. The money went to 38 different countries with Britain receiving over $31 billion. Over the next few years the British government repaid $650 million of this sum.

Churchill had come to Roosevelt and told him that the British were out of money, they were busted. They had no way to continue paying for the supplies which they so desperately needed from the United States. Also there were still on the statute books those neutrality laws which said we couldn't lend the British the money to buy the supplies from us.

So Roosevelt needs to find a means to keep supplying the British without antagonizing the isolationists and particularly the Congress of the United States. The idea that he would go through the Congress was unacceptable to him because he knew it would be hung up in some kind of long-winded and painful debate. And this would demoralize the British more than help them. So he invents this thing called Lend-Lease. And he's marvelous at selling it again to the public.

In essence, Lend-Lease was a way to give the British planes, tanks, guns, artillery, ammunition without them really paying for it.

Answer 2

There is some striking unfamiliarity with history going on here. The lend lease programme was without doubt the salvation of post war Britain. Britain's war debt was repaid at cents on the dollar, and the use of the word "interest" implies usury, which is far from the case, as was evident when the question was raised in the British House of Lords: "The basis of the loan is that interest is paid at 2 per cent. Therefore, we are currently receiving a greater return on our dollar assets than we are paying in interest to pay off the loan. It is a very advantageous loan for us."

None of this even begins to account for the US Allied servicemen who lost their lives fighting the Axis forces, unless one has a dollar rate for corpses too. Such a debt can be repaid only in honour.

It is currently fashionable to be anti-American. It is a pity it too often clouds judgement and distorts and demeans reality. Winston Churchill, who knew a thing or three about the subject, described the US's action in helping rebuild post-war Britain as "the most unsordid act of any nation in history".

Answer 3

WWII was not "the last war" in more ways than one.

If any country had the choice on whether to enter any war they would opt not to. Obviously GB had no other option but to enter the war to protect its country and people, as the war was in its backyard and the German war machine was quickly conquering Europe. Britain and France declared war on Germany (September 3) when Germany ignored their demands to cease its attack and withdraw.

I'm already tired of typing so I will just say this:

People that ask questions such as this one and have this belief that their country or race is Superior to all others is precisely the reason WWII or any other war ever starts.

I leave you with this. The real cost of war.

Casualties in WW2

Soviet Union 25,568,000
China 11,324,000
Germany 7,060,000
Poland 6,850,000
Japan 1,806,000
Yugoslavia 1,700,000
Romania 985,000
France 810,000
Greece 520,000
USA 495,000
Austria 480,000
Italy 410,000
Great Britain 388,000
Holland 250,000
Belgium 85,000
Finland 79,000
Canada 42,000
India 36,000
Australia 29,000
Albania 28,000
Spain 22,000
Bulgaria 21,000
New Zealand 12,000
Norway 10,000
South Africa 9,000
Luxembourg 5,000
Denmark 4,000
TOTAL 59,028,000

Answer 4

America recognizes Britain's contributions and is grateful for the payments. We however would have never been speaking German, we had a few bombs that would have bailed us out if we were ever in any danger on our home front. The British should recognize that Americans did make huge sacrifices during WWII and that our entire country, not only our soldiers, supported the war effort, giving almost all of our labor, material, production, time and taxes toward the war effort. Instead of trying to make division between the members of the winning side wouldn't it be better to say that despite fighting a determined enemy we, AS A UNITED TEAM, won the war.

Answer 5

Yea i can understand that the British fought hard and died trying to stop the Germans. Thats very true but dont say the U.S. didnt do **** because thats a slap in the face to all that died fighting the war I Dont think hundreds of thousand soilders risking there lives is doing nothing. Both sides fought brave and died for honor. So before you start opening your mouth you should get all the facts. And get some damn respect. I bet if you ask a British soilder they would tell you the same. We helped eachother out we arent enemies so check yourslef. Were F***en allies you dumbass!!!!!

Answer 6

Thanks, we needed a laugh.

You people NEVER paid us back. We gave Trillions upon Trillions of dollars to Britain.

That would be about 100 trillion dollars today. Your countries entire GDP is a puny 2.3 trillion dollars. You payed us back..Sure ya did. I read that little article written by some brit about how you payed us back. Trust us you didn't..

Another thing...How do you put a price on 450,000 dead Americans. Britain lost 300,000 people the entire war. America was in it for 5 years. 2 years less than Britain and we lost more people. Not to mention we had no civilians being killed. MOST OF BRITAINS casualties.

Tell me this hten. Why did the Nazis surrender to AMERICA and not Russia or Britain? Hitler wanted to continue fighting Russia but wanted to surrender to America.

Anyway..People like you will never understand Nor would I expect you to. It is something only an American can comprehend. Now go back to your depressing country.

Answer 7

Tracey S & professo - Although this is a rant it is also correct. John Major finally paid off the british debt to the USA in 1995, 50 years after the end of the war and would have kept going if Britain hadn't had enough. The same American technique had caused Germany into almost bankruptcy after the First world war and lead to the Nazi party taking control and stopping the payments.

America wasn't effect by the second world war, in fact America benifited and it was one of the most prosperous time to be an american. Everywhere else was bombed into the ground (please look up coventry, London, munich, etc).

Britian lead the world in technology, such as Radar, first Jet Engine (although first jet engine was used on a German plane), etc which had to be given to american in exchange for troops. This included Brtains nuclear program which was years ahead of the Americans.

As people quoted numbers 140,000 (incorrect 418,500 but i'll use figures used) out of 50,000,000 dead in allied countries only. The total Axis dead was only 12,000,000 making a total death count of 62,000,000.

Chris - The Germans had bombers that could reach America. They had also just designed a Fighter and bomber that could fly there and back. The American took this design and created planes like the stealth bomber with it. German Subs were also oftern in New York harbour during the war but the USA didn't bother with them.

Answer 8

i agree and would also like to piont out that the american's gave only negilable help during the battle of britain, which ended the invasion threat, so the americans didn,t actually save us from germany they just helped us defeat them.

however you are slightly wrong in your question, america was a richer country by 1939. They over took us during world war 1, when ironically we nearly destroyed our selves fighting the germans.

Answer 9

Britain and France declared War on Germany then proceeded to get their arses kicked with the french folding like a pack of cards before the British ran for Dunkirk and were only saved from destruction by Goring's dithering.

Then they hid on their island as usual until the US came in to bail them out and Hitler declared war on Russia. Had the war only involved Britain and France on the allied side then the war was effectively over less than two years into it.

The US and Russia defeated Germany.

Answer 10

Yeah, yeah, yeah, (sounds like a Beatles song). You are right. The United States did nothing to help you Brits out. We OWE YOU, for letting us join in the war effort. You didn't need a thing from us. You would have whipped Germany standing on one leg, arms tied behind your back, and blind folded. You are some crazy, bad people. Dunkirk was one of your finer moments. Along with that great plan, Operation Market-Garden that was developed by the Late Great Immortal B. Montgomery, which resounded in one of the worst defeats in United States or British history. Oh, and don't forget how well you did against Rommel before we low life Americans landed in North Africa. Rommel was running you guys around like the Donkey and the carrot on the stick trick.
And don't forget to forget the American lives lost fighting along side you. That didn't cost you anything.