Britain-in-the-World-Wars世界大战中的英国

ThebackgroundbeforethewarBythebeginningofthe20thcentury,theworldhadenteredtheperiodofimperialism(帝国主义〕.ManycountriesinEuropehadbeenindustrializedandeachwantedtoexpandtheirinfluence.Sotheconflictsoftheinterestsamongthosecountriesbegantoarouse(激发).WorldWarIinBritain

TheUnitedKingdomwasoneoftheAlliedPowers(同盟国)duringWorldWarI(1914–1918),anddevelopedasanationthroughoutthewarinordertofurtheritsgoalofdefeatingtheCentralPowers(一战德同盟国)Attheoutbreakofwar,patrioticfeelingsspreadthroughoutthecountry,andithasbeenarguedthatmanyoftheclassbarriersofEdwardianEngland(爱德华七世时代的英国)werediminishedduringtheperiod.Sacrificesweremade,however,inthenameofdefeatingtheenemy.Fearingfoodshortagesandlabourshortfalls,thegovernmentpassedlegislation(立法),suchastheDefenceoftheRealmAct(国防领域的行为),togiveitnewpowerstosafeguardcivilians(平民).Thewarsawamoveawayfromtheideaof"businessasusual"underprimeministerHerbertHenryAsquith(赫伯特·亨利),andtowardsastateoftotalwarunderDavidLloydGeorge(大卫·劳合·乔治),thefirsttimethishadbeenseeninBritain.Thewaralsowitnessedthefirstaerialbombardments(空中轰炸)ofcitiesinBritain.AbouttheIndustryTotalBritishproductionfellbytenpercentoverthecourseofthewar;therewere,however,increasesincertainindustriessuchassteel(钢〕.AlthoughBritainfacedacontroversial〔有争议的〕shellshortage,thishasbeenattributedtoextraordinaryordersplacedbythegovernmentattheoutbreakofwar(withoutconcernforthecapacityofitsindustry),ratherthaninefficient〔低效率的〕production.GreatcostforBritainThewarendedwiththevictoryfortheAllies(同盟军〕thatcontainedtheBritishArmy!Britainwasdrainedofitsmanpower.Nearlyonemillionmendiedandmorethantwomillionwerewounded.What’smore,about70%ofthemerchantshipsweresunkordamaged.Asaresult,Britainlosttheseasupremacy(海上霸权地位).

Then,Britainwasinahugenationaldebt,tentimeslargerthanthatofpre-waryears.Theeconomicofthewholenationwasslack.WorldWarIIinBritain

Inlate1938,Britainattemptedtoappease(安抚，缓和〕GermanyandavoidanotherworldwarbysigningtheMunichPact(慕尼黑公约).ThisgaveGermany“permission”toinvade(入侵)thecontestedSudetenland(苏台德地区)inCzechoslovakia(捷克斯洛伐克).WhenHitler(希特勒)invadedtherestofCzechoslovakiaafewmonthslater,itwasclearthatthisattemptatappeasementdidnotwork.OnSeptember3,1939,BritaindeclaredwaronGermany.ThismarksthebeginningofWorldWarIIinEurope.

InMarch1939,BritainannouncedthatitwouldsupportPoland(波兰)ifGermanyinvadedit.Germanyinvadedanyway.(Insecret,HitlerandStalin(斯大林)hadsignedanagreementdividingupPolandbetweenthetwopowers.)InMay1940,Britaingotamoreaggressivewar-timeleader--WinstonChurchill(温斯顿·丘吉尔)replacedNevilleChamberlain(内维尔张伯伦)asPrimeMinister(首相).

FromJulytoOctober1940,theEnglishpeoplesufferedundertheBattleofBritain(不列颠空战):intenseGermanbombing.ButtheRoyalAirForce(英国皇家空军)valiantly(勇敢地)defendeditshomelandfromtheGermanLuftwaffe(德国空军),andtheNazis(纳粹)wereunabletocrushBritishmorale(士气).InMarch1941,theU.S.begangivingdirectsupporttotheBritishintheformofarmsandammunition(弹药)throughtheLend-LeaseAct(贷款租赁法案).AfterPearlHarbor〔珍珠港〕,inDecember,AmericawouldbecomedirectlyinvolvedinaidingtheBritishinEurope.InJanuary1942,Roosevelt〔罗斯福〕andChurchill〔丘吉尔〕agreedtoestablishaCombinedChiefsofStaff〔联合参谋长〕andtothemakedefeatingGermanytheirfirstpriority〔优先〕.(WinningthewarinEuropewouldcomebeforewinningthewarinthePacific.)Afterthreemorelongyears,theAlli