In Their Own Words – Who owns Britain?
"The question of leadership need hardly arise. If any permanently
closer association of the two nations is achieved, an island people
of fifty millions cannot expect to be the senior partner. The centre
of gravity and the ultimate decision must increasingly lie with
America. We cannot resent this historical development."
(The Economist Oct 19 1940.)
"Whatever the outcome of the war, America has embarked on a career of
imperialism in world affairs and in every other aspect of her life...
Even though by our aid England should emerge from this struggle
without defeat, she will be so impoverished economically and crippled
in prestige that it is improbable that she will be able to resume or
maintain the dominant position in world affairs that she has occupied
for so long.
At best, England will become a junior partner in a new Anglo-Saxon
imperialism in which the economic resources and the military and
naval strength of the United States will be the centre of gravity…
The sceptre passes to the United States."
(President of the US National Industrial Conference Board Virgil
Jordan, to the Annual Convention of the Investment Bankers'
Association of America, Hollywood, Dec 10 1940.)
"Whether we like it or not, we must all recognise that the victory
which we have won has placed upon the American people the continuing
burden of responsibility for world leadership. The future peace of
the world will depend in large part upon whether or not the United
States shows that it is really determined to continue its role as a
leader among nations."
(US President Truman's message to Congress, Dec 19 1945.)
"Do we need Britain? The British Empire, for all its reduced power,
has a valuable string of naval bases around the world - Gibralter,
Hong Kong, Malta, Suez, Aden, Singapore, to mention the most
important... The colonies take one into the economic sphere - tin,
rubber, uranium and other raw materials... We need Britain."
(New York Times, Jan 9 1952.)
"Today Americans know that they are the dominant Power in the world;
they take pride in the position, they accept the responsibility of
it, and they expect the rest of us to respect their leadership."
(Tory Lord Woolton, Sunday Times, July 16 1950.)
"We British must recognise that American policy must prevail, if
there is an honest difference of opinion between us as to what to do
next in the world struggle. He who pays the piper calls the tune."
(Labour MP Commander King-Hall, National Newsletter, June 28 1951.)
"My dear Americans, we may be short of dollars, but we are not short
of will... We won't let you down. Standards of life may go back. We
may have to say to our miners and to our steel workers: "We can't
give you all we hoped for. We can't give you the houses we want you
to live in. We can't give you the amenities we desire to give you."
But we won't fail."
(British Labour Foreign Secretary Bevin to the American Legion, Savoy
Hotel, London, Sept 10 1947.)
"The Western Powers have got to be strong... They have got to be
perfectly clear as to the kind of world they want and stand for it
until they get it."
(British Labour Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin, House of Parliament,
Oct 17 1950.)
"Mr. Bevin went to New York, determined to prevent the precipitate
rearmament of Germany... He failed... Faced with an American
ultimatum... he toed the line."
(New Statesman and Nation, Dec 2 1950.)
From Evolution.