History /
WWII - who really was the first to help Poland? [901]
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The French attack on Germany was a joke and resulted in a swift withdraw back to the French defensive positions.
By the time the BEF (British Expeditionary force) was in France, it was simply too late..
Churchill was not a saint, but after so many weak leaders he stood out and was in charge when the war ended.
# His first command as Prime Minister was for the boats to leave Calais and the 3,500 men would stand to the last man and they did killed or captured.
He also agreed for the French Navy to be fired on and sunk when the failed to sail to Britain (De Gaulle never forgave Britain for this..), but it was the right thing to do as Germany had plans to use the French flight, although not something you'd wish on your worst enemy, let alone an ally; he also landed in Neutral Iceland to prevent the Germans Occupying it and that was much more questionable, the last notable act was occupying Neutral Iran to allow Russia to be resupplied. (The ramifications of this still has the Middle East in a mess to this day..)
~ Britain had tried to liberate the Greek Islands and the US did not want to do it; this resulted in the last failure that Britain endured during the second world war - lesson learned, do not try something without the US helping.
This also led to all the Jewish population in the Greek Islands being rounded up and being sent to camps, which could have been avoided if the US had listened to Britain. (But the US viewed this as some Empire based quest and was keen not to help Britain maintain any kind of an Empire)
Britain went to war for Poland, lost an Empire (*Better for the world as a whole!) and failed to save an ally.. (Something Britain lives with!)
Britain was humiliated in the end by America and mostly blamed for what the US did.
After all didn't the US recently let Poland down (Again!) after a massive arms deal???
Churchill maintained the air-supply drops to the doomed Warsaw Uprising despite America asking Britain not to do it as it would upset Russia and it was also done from Southern Italy across Occupied Europe without fighter support and with Russian & the German troops shooting at the supply planes.
Britain had planned Operation Unthinkable that would see Britain continue into Russia and restore Polish independence... (America Vetoed this plan.) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Unthinkable
As the saying goes.. the victor writes the history books and so, please remind me, who is the new Western Superpower since 1945..???
