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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decline of empire pointed to, and assisted in, a move to a closer relationship with
the U.S.A., as
never before seen in peace time: moreover, a movement led by a
socialist government on the grounds of
protecting Britain’s national interest.

To
successfully influence the United States was soon as the key to the
solution of most of Britain’s
external problems, both in Europe and in overseas
regions. In the immediate aftermath of the war,
approaching the Americans
seemed a formidable task indeed. Lend-lease had been cut off and Keynes
and
others feared that London’s request for some new form of financial assistance
would meet
with, if not a refusal, then stiff demands on Washington’s part.
Military co-operation, through the
Combined Chiefs of Staff, had also ended,
although the British had proposed its continuation. Truman and
Attlee knew little
of each other. The “Soviet experiment”, which was being undertaken by
the
Labour Government, had also been subject to considerable American mistrust.
On the other hand,
some Americans dismissed British fears of Russian aims:
Churchill’s iron curtain speech at Fulton,
Missouri in 1946 was felt to be
exaggerated and the call was still to be heard for the withdrawal of
American
troops from Germany. There were certainly causes enough to worry the British
political
elite for a while.

Since
American aid was regarded in Britain as essential, Bevin’s main
target became binding the United
States more closely to defence of the West. This
was done by a series of announcements and actions which
were partly
premeditated but partly forced upon the government by the worsening economic
crisis of
February-March 1947.

Extracts from
Bevin’s memorandum clearly demonstrate the United
Kingdom’s priorities. The document: CAB
(Cabinet Records, at the Public:
Records Office, Kew) 129/23.

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