Book Review: ‘Advance Britannia,’ by Alan Allport
The New York Times••nation
Key Points:
- Alan Allport's book "Advance Britannia" challenges two common myths about Britain's role in World War II: that Britain fought alone after France's fall, and that the US's entry guaranteed British victory.
- Churchill viewed America's involvement as crucial only after Pearl Harbor, but Allport reveals Roosevelt pressured Britain to abandon its colonial policies, showing tensions between the leaders' visions.
- Britain never truly fought alone, relying heavily on its vast empire for resources, but this imperial reach also exposed its Asian colonies like Singapore to Japanese attacks following Pearl Harbor.
- Singapore's colonial society was marked by stark contrasts, with British expatriates enjoying comforts while the local economy was deeply tied to the opium trade, contributing to widespread addiction in Malaya before the war.
