>>10. The treaties with Germany were very severe and led to World War II. Germany would not allow itself to be humiliated by loosing a war to France!
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>One of the reasons was that Germany was supposed to pay reparations to Britain until 1988!
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>They couldn't afford that. What if they'd been made to pay for WW II, the war that bankrupted Britain (esp. after having fought WW I just 20 years earlier? I grew up in this empoverished state, while the the Allies were busy rebuilding Germany and Japan. Of all the powers that fought in that war GB came off worst. The US had grown fatter on its industry and extended its "empire" (Let's face it, the US IS an empire, wrought from the natives, or other western imperials, state by state), France had hardly been touched cf. the UK (and didn't need to pay for 6 years of fighting), and GB lost much of its lucrative empire (not least by ceeding some of it to the US, in payment for liberty ships and WWI navy ships, et al).
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>I demand payment!

Terry;

You have been paid in full! :) You helped defeat the Axis powers and remained free. Free at last!

The point made about rebuilding Japan and Germany and the lack of help we gave England is interesting. It is so true! It took many years for England to get on its feet.

During the 1960's and 1970's many UK Electronic Engineers came to the United States due to the lack of opportunities in England. I knew and worked with many and we discussed the topic of England after World War II on many occasions.

One of my brothers in law was born 1930 in Germany. His perspective and those of people of his era from Germany is interesting. I guess that everyone has a story and is biased.

It boils down to the little guys suffer and the leaders lead.

The last time I read about which nations had paid us back for monies borrowed and owed was that only one had done so. That was Holland. My information my be out of date though. Why pay us back? We spend more then we make so there is no loss! :)

Another thought about World War II. What would have happened if England and France had honored their agreement to come to the defense of Poland should they be attacked by Germany? Would World War II have occurred?

Then there was the agreement to arm Poland with modern weapons, which never happened. We still had Japan taking over Asia. It seems like the world at that time was headed for a collision course.

England had reduced its military significantly during the 1930’s, and reminds me of what the United States has done during the 1980’s until the present.

The leader of Poland was Josef Pilsudski, whom Hitler had great respect for. In 1935 Germany sent two divisions to the Polish border with the intent to invade. Philsudski sent one division of the Polish Army to the border and Hitler sent a telegram (it is in a museum in Poland) apologizing and withdrew his two divisions.

People make fun of the Poles but it takes guts to attack a Panzer Tank with a horse, and a rider carrying a spear. The Poles used what weapons they had but were let down by the rest of the world.

I wish we could sit face to face and discuss these topics as they are very involved and a part of our history.

Tom