LETTERS Mistaken war
Sir: With reference to Mr Rowse's furious letter (26 September) the truth is that Britain gave a guarantee to Poland in 1939, a blank cheque which bounced. It was in no position to help Poland then, any more than it is now.
Despite the criminal neglect of its arma- ments by Tory and Labour governments in the Thirties, Britain declared war on Ger- many, and sent an army to France with what arms there were. Eight months later Germany defeated France and most of our army escaped from Dunkirk, leaving its armaments behind. Surely this was the moment of our maximum weakness, and Hitler's maximum strength? The Channel ports were in German hands. He made no attempt to invade, but turned east and lost the war in Russia, like Napoleon before him.
The war was bound to have one or two results: either we should have lost — a disaster; or Germany would lose, ensuring the triumph of communism, another disas- ter. Rather than declaring war, it would have been wiser to build up our arms, not throw them away in France, and use them if we, or any of our possessions, were attacked. The war was disastrous for Eng- land, which lost its world position and was reduced to its present little measure. Rus- sia has swallowed up half of Europe, and with its massive armaments poses a threat to the remainder. It has hitherto been kept in check by huge American armies sta- tioned in Europe, and American nuclear power. Europe has been an armed camp ever since the 'end' of the war. However grateful Mr Rowse and I may be to America, I at least regret the time when we were masters of our own fate, a great power, and a civilising influence in the world. England, having made itself power- less, can no longer play balance of power politics, but within united Europe it still has a vital role.
I am sorry to write such obvious facts, but I suppose Mr Rowse's diatribe has to be answered. The world is full of cruel atrocities, but war is not the way to eliminate them; they proliferate in time of war. In itself, and in its results, it is the greatest atrocity of all.
Diana Mosley
Temple de la Gloire, 91400 Orsay, France
Previous page
