The British Imperial Establishment, Post Imperial Era, and the ‘Churchillian’ World View, 1945-2016. (Adjustments & Challenges in Contemporary British Diplomatic Strategy)

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” i) The Strategic Unity
of the British Isles.

1. The Command of the English Channel and the
   North Sea.

2. The Independence of the Low Countries.

3. The Balance of Power.”30

Great Britain sought
to prevent any part of the British Isles, including
Ireland, from passing into the control of another
power. Second, the United
Kingdom sought to command the narrow seas which come between her
and
continental Europe. This is to control the maritime trade routes, to ensure that
food supplies
into the country from overseas will not be interrupted, and above
all to prevent invasion. Thirdly, she
sought to prevent the coast of continental
Europe opposite the Thames estuary, particularly the mouth of
the Scheldt and
Rhine, from passing into the control of hostile power. Finally, Great Britain
sought
to prevent any continental European power from acquiring the undisputed
hegemony, which would endanger
the independence of the Low Countries and
might result in a Continental coalition against her.

The
co-operation between Britain and the empire reached its highest and
closest level during the First World
War. This fact was accepted by the
Dominions in different degrees. Joseph Cook, the Prime Minister of
Australia,
said, ” ‘ Australia is part of the Empire. When the Empire is at war, so is
Australia.’
“31 New Zealand acted similarly, and Canada too
became involved, although there
were some reservations as the Liberal leader in Canada emphasised that
the extent
of this engagement was a matter for the Dominions alone. As for South Africa
there was a
more ambiguous response. “Pro-German and anti-British feeling
among a section of the Afrikaaner
people led to a not inconsiderable rebellion.
The rising was crushed by the ex-Boer War general Louis
Botha (the Prime
Minister) and Jan Smuts (Minister for Defence).”32 In Ireland even the Irish
Nationalist MPs at Westminster indicated their
support, and thousands of

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