America - Where’s Your Empire?

America did actually aquire quite a bit of territory after the Spanish-American War. We had captured or aquired The Phillipines as well as several other Islands in the Pacific and the Aluetians.

Also why doesn't Alaska and Hawaii not count. They were territories before they were states. That would be saying England couldn't count Canada, India, Egypt, or Australia as places they once occupied. That's just stupid.

Actually you could say the momemt after the revolution through much of the 18th century we were expanding our empire as we seized terrritory from the american indians and mexicans until we reached the Pacific.

So tell me why England once had the largest and most proud navy in the world and has let it shrink into a joke. What a shame! I guess they just don't need it, because they know the USA and it's fleet of 10 Super Carriers will protect them from invasion these days. How many Super Carriers do the rest of the world have?....the answer would be zero.

Reed Lover wrote: Arioch wrote: That's the best you can do Reed Lover. Where's that wit of yours now? So you are saying I am witty ??? I was kinda saying that if all you've got to offer the world is big boats with big guns then let's all jump for joy!

Yes...isn't that what England had all to offer for several centuries. Imitation is the best form of flattery Reedy my boy.

It certainly wasn't their culinary delights and cuisines.

Garion81 wrote: Reed Lover wrote: Fitzcarraldo wrote: If it wasn't for the USA, Britain and the other European countries mentioned by sigod (including the neutral countries mentioned) might still be part of an empire: either a Nazi empire or a Soviet empire (probably the latter). Collective memory is very short. Maybe, maybe not. How many lives might have been saved if America had joined sooner? Reed, I respect your opinion but I have to call you on this. America in 1938-9 was still coming out of a depression and had very little military capabilities since all were retired at the end of WW1. There was no way we were in any positon to fight anyone. Pearl Harbor is a perfect example of our unreadiness. We did start to manufacture arms which I think almost all were given (not sold because all your WW2 debt to the US was forgiven) to Britan, France and The Soviet Union. Pray tell sir, What more could we have done until we went into all out mobilization? Which really took 2 -3 years to accomplish. We were not yet a real world power. Besides many in our country felt we had already given to many lives to wars in Europe and felt you could handle that one without us. All things considered it would have been 1940 instead of 41. We still had the Empire of Japan to deal with which BTW we received no help with at all.

Actually that is not true at all Garion. Britain reaverted quite a few ships over to the Indian Ocean to combat the Japanese..or at least protect their interests..either way..this distracted a number of Japanese capital ships to guard over this potential threat.  They had the Repulse and Prince of Wales sunk by the Japanese in Indonesia. Australia helped as much as it could as well.

Bah, all this tripe is old news.

You lot are still stuck in 2004!

We  Brits are offivially 2005 ers!

Hic, I mean officially 2005 ers!!

Garion81 wrote: gdub411 wrote: Garion81 wrote: gdub411 wrote: Actually that is not true at all Garion. Britain reaverted quite a few ships over to the Indian Ocean to combat the Japanese..or at least protect their interests..either way..this distracted a number of Japanese capital ships to guard over this potential threat.  They had the Repulse and Prince of Wales sunk by the Japanese in Indonesia. Australia helped as much as it could as well. Ok I stand corrected. I also think Stalin sent some troops also but just to grab some more land. Gdub I think I meant no one gave the save commitment as we did. They gave what they could. Every country was strapped for resources and no-one enjoyed the vast military war machine we were producing, except maybe the Russians, but every bit was needed to take on Hitler's War Machine. England and Russia had their hands full and did what they could. No-one lost as many capital ships and shipping as england...except maybe the Japanese...but they were the losers so what do you expect? I do understand that. They gave more because the war was in their countries. But I don't understand how in history that we (the united states) comes out as the bad guy? Did we not contribute everything we had also?

Garion Waffling!

starring Gdub as kenneth Williams

and Garion as Sid James.  arr arrr arrr, ooer missus!

Whassh the mater wish yousz?

drunk moi?

nah, Only just onto bottle 3 of the vIno!

a very nice Wolf Blass Cab Sauv   ......... nice!