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To: cynwoody

Actually, Chamberlain did much to prepare Britain for war. Contrary to popular belief, he knew war was coming and geared up British industry to prepare itself for war production and also pushed a bill through allowing peacetime conscription for the first time in British history (in the face of strong opposition). He knew Britain wasn’t ready for war in 1938, and he delayed it until September 1939, when Britain STILL wasn’t ready, but probably more ready than it had been...


22 posted on 08/02/2012 2:12:49 AM PDT by sinsofsolarempirefan
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To: sinsofsolarempirefan

“Actually, Chamberlain did much to prepare Britain for war. Contrary to popular belief, he knew war was coming and geared up British industry to prepare itself for war production and also pushed a bill through allowing peacetime conscription for the first time in British history (in the face of strong opposition). He knew Britain wasn’t ready for war in 1938, and he delayed it until September 1939, when Britain STILL wasn’t ready, but probably more ready than it had been...”

Very true. It’s interesting to note how much more capable the UK was in 1939 than the US was.

In 1939 when WW2 started, the total US army was 200,000 strong, the British army had 428,000. The US figure was still 200,000 on July 1st 1940, but by July 1st 1941 it had jumped to 1.31m.

When the war began the US Army Air Corps had 22,000 personnel, 22 serviceable heavy bombers, 700 very obelete light/medium bombers and 500 very obselete fighters. By comparison the RAF had 175,000 personnel, 135 squadrons (74 Bomber, 27 Fighter, 12 Army co-operation, 17 Reconnaissance, 4 Torpedo-bomber and 1 Communications). In addition to this, the Auxiliary Air Force comprised 19 squadrons (3 Bomber, 11 Fighter, 2 Army co-operation and 3 Reconnaissance). By December 1941 the US has 288 heavy bombers, 1100 light/medium bombers (plus 400 obselete) and 1600 fighters plus 500 obselete.

So there was absolutely no chance of the US joining the war when it began in 1939 because they had nothing to fight with but they used the delay between the war starting and them joining in the same way Chamberlain did with his bit of paper - they bought time and built weapons.


24 posted on 08/02/2012 3:49:16 AM PDT by Caulkhead
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