tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post3499784518803207332..comments2024-02-26T00:59:26.907-08:00Comments on Ana the Imp: Battles long agoAnastasia F-Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-24565366352807639962010-06-25T05:53:38.368-07:002010-06-25T05:53:38.368-07:00Yes, thanks, Nobby.Yes, thanks, Nobby.Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-17098030034741530942010-06-25T04:56:28.079-07:002010-06-25T04:56:28.079-07:00Ana, Churchill thought Singapore well defended and...Ana, Churchill thought Singapore well defended and never expected an attack through Malaysia as well as not expecting to here that no defences existed because the jungle was thought to be inpenetrable. But it was a buckle - if it was not for minds being centered on survival at home I am sure this Far East 'buckle' would not so easily have been undone.Nobbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16329815721904353534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-33907782018119098532010-06-24T16:18:03.767-07:002010-06-24T16:18:03.767-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Fletch's Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16402507296202065300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-49409931558628288402010-06-24T16:18:03.768-07:002010-06-24T16:18:03.768-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Fletch's Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16402507296202065300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-12721958266172293872010-06-24T16:17:24.570-07:002010-06-24T16:17:24.570-07:00Nobby, Singapore might be said to be the buckle on...Nobby, Singapore might be said to be the buckle on the belt holding the Empire together. Japanese expansion into China and to the vicinity of Hong Kong should have been a cause of concern.Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-68435321963227049692010-06-24T16:14:26.856-07:002010-06-24T16:14:26.856-07:00Dominic, yes, not Italy alone but with British eye...Dominic, yes, not Italy alone but with British eyes on Germany the Italian fleet was strong enough to be a serious worry, or should have been, to any strategic planner, especially given the Imperial life-line through the Suez Canal. <br /><br />You might be interested to know that my grandfather served in the Far-East during the Second World War, latterly with the Fourteenth Army in India and Burma. Prior to that he had been in the Malay States when the Japanese invaded. That was the story he was given, that the Japanese were poor soldiers, all with bad eyesight.Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-48578763613887393962010-06-24T02:26:21.769-07:002010-06-24T02:26:21.769-07:00Ana, There was ongoing tension at the time between...Ana, There was ongoing tension at the time between America and Japan. America had placed an oil embargo on Japan although I might be wrong. Nevertheless, Churchill probably felt that Britain had a priority of concerns closer to home. Perhaps Italy would have been one these concerns if anyone had been convinced of an effective hostile Italian military.Nobbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16329815721904353534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-75018651253798848772010-06-24T00:46:13.461-07:002010-06-24T00:46:13.461-07:00Italy alone wasnt a threat, we just had an overwhe...Italy alone wasnt a threat, we just had an overwhelming advantage. Its possible they could have grown into one, but their only space for expansion was the Balkans, Greece, and Africa, right through the middle from the top down.<br />Which is why they were so willing to ally with Germany, its the only way they could have taken anyone elses Mediteranean coasts.<br />Had France not buckled in a month, the French Navy with a dozen English Ships would have ran them ragged in a month or two.<br /><br /><br />Japan, well, the Japanese were racialy inferior heathens who couldnt stand against a European Power. Quite how that position survived Japans repeated trouncing of Russia I'll never know, but it did.Domohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00240964731398145995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-16753307993394834812010-06-23T15:50:35.713-07:002010-06-23T15:50:35.713-07:00Thanks, Nobby and Dominic. Actually looking at It...Thanks, Nobby and Dominic. Actually looking at Italy's position in the Med, and Japan's position in the Far East, both had the potential to be major strategic threats to the security of the Empire, more immediate, it might even be argued, than Germany prior to 1940. And that is my last word on the subject!Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-75596072346637350712010-06-23T03:54:21.756-07:002010-06-23T03:54:21.756-07:00"Ana, I agree with Adam in that Churchill'..."Ana, I agree with Adam in that Churchill's opinions had everything to do with what was best for Britain and its security."<br /><br />Yep.<br />Germany was a threat, Italy wasnt, no one expected Japan to be, well, we expected Japan to keep America busy, we didnt expect them to attack us.Domohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00240964731398145995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-65206637280491944102010-06-23T01:31:31.991-07:002010-06-23T01:31:31.991-07:00Ana, I agree with Adam in that Churchill's opi...Ana, I agree with Adam in that Churchill's opinions had everything to do with what was best for Britain and its security.Nobbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16329815721904353534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-87869510500674255552010-06-22T17:04:26.737-07:002010-06-22T17:04:26.737-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Fletch's Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16402507296202065300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-7582555662649111792010-06-22T17:03:42.408-07:002010-06-22T17:03:42.408-07:00Thanks, Adam. Argus has a hundred eyes, a suitabl...Thanks, Adam. Argus has a hundred eyes, a suitably cryptic note upon which to take my leave. :-)Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-2851681513112349812010-06-22T16:43:48.333-07:002010-06-22T16:43:48.333-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Fletch's Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16402507296202065300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-76055111957542780022010-06-22T16:36:33.878-07:002010-06-22T16:36:33.878-07:00Oh and by the way, on a blog I've done contras...Oh and by the way, on a blog I've done contrasting Powell to Heath in my place, I've a clip of Powell talking about voices in the wilderness...one of my favourites for obvious reasons.Fletch's Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16402507296202065300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-89707215611116853062010-06-22T16:36:33.879-07:002010-06-22T16:36:33.879-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Fletch's Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16402507296202065300noreply@blogger.com