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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The
Colonial Office ruled the Crown Colonies, but the Foreign Office was
generally responsible for the
protectorates and the condominiums. Additionally,
there were areas outside the Empire’s boundaries which
Britain either protected
informally or dominated commercially. The derelict Turkish Empire had
been
shored-up against Russia in the Crimean War, and again protected in 1878 during
the Eastern crises.
British influence extended to southern Persia and the Persian
Gulf. By the beginning of the twentieth century
the commerce of China owed
much to British management, but only after successive Chinese governments
had
been overawed by British gunboats and subjected to British commercial
pressures. In concert with
other interested European powers, and relying heavily
on Indian mercenaries, Britain had crushed the
anti-foreigner Boxer rising of
1900. In much of South America, particularly Argentina and Chile,
British
investment was heavy and her exports profitable. The extent of Britain’s imperial
and
extra-imperial interests was, therefore, enormous and its implications
profound. For example, one such
implication was the need to maintain the
supremacy of the Royal Navy against all possible challenges. To this
end the
number of warships was kept at the “two-power standard”, that is, more than
the
combined strengths of the next two largest navies.

Towards
the end of the nineteenth century the British Empire found itself
diplomatically in ‘splendid
isolation’. The term ‘splendid isolation’ was intended
to suggest that the Empire was
diplomatically isolated in a dangerous world.
“Although the Pax Britannica still seemed secure and the
British Empire was the
leading world power, that position was increasingly subject to challenge.
Yet
throughout this uncertain era it is important to remember that ‘British’ power was
not
simply the United Kingdom power. In a very important sense Britain did
indeed have allies, and some
components of the Empire began to make useful
contributions to her strength.”20 During the First World War more than 2.5 million
troops from the Dominions and
India were added to the 5 million from Britain.

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