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

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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Dominions, however, converged on
their assertion of full power in foreign affairs

– making
treaties, having their own diplomatic representation, making war and
peace, in short devising a foreign
policy independent of British needs. Canada
was leading in such affairs. As early as 1871 she was
participating in treaty
making. By the 1920s the Dominions were taking an increasingly autonomous
stand
in foreign affairs, refusing to come to Britain’s call in 1992 and overall
taking a rather insular view
of international problems. In 1939, the coming of the
war indicated the individual position of the different
Dominions. There was now
no imperial unity in matters of foreign policy or defence. Eire, which had
joined
the ranks of the Dominions as the Irish Free State in 1922, went its own way,
declaring
neutrality. In South Africa a bitter debate took place on entry into the
war. On the other hand in Australia
and New Zealand stronger emotional ties with
Britain clouded the issue. Politicians there talked of an
automatic commitment;
in any case, their defence arrangements involved close co-operation with
Britain.
As a contrast to Australia and New Zealand, which were slow to take initiatives
showing their
full sense of independence in foreign and defence matters,
throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Canada, South
Africa and Eire were pushing the
matter and by 1939 had already established diplomatic missions in
foreign
countries. Australia and New Zealand still were more vulnerable to foreign attack
and so
naturally felt a stronger need for great power protection. Until Japan swept
through the Pacific and the fall
of Singapore shattered this belief of being under
its protection, Britain had been a protecting power for
them. At this point reliance
was quickly transferred to another great power, the United States.

The
undertaking of the war between 1939 and 1945 showed how the spirit
of independence had grown since 1914-18.
Now with each Dominion having full
control over its own foreign policy and defence forces there was no
imperial War
Cabinet. However, a common imperial spirit persisted and there was daily
communication
between London and Dominion capitals; also Dominion

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