There’s a lot of questions as to how much Hitler really wanted to invade England, Von Ribbentrop definitely wanted to invade....but the suggestion was that simply neutralizing Britain was good enough for Hitler, he figured once he won in Russia, the Brits would sue for peace.
I pretty well agree. But Operation Sea Lion was a reality and only the Luftwaffe defeat in the Battle of Britain saved England. Remember there were a lot of German sympathizers in England...even among the Royal Family. But the Man of the hour was Churchill and his speech on May 13, 1940 pretty well says it all. A nation will follow a great leader. Not only England, but the western world as well, had a great leader through the war......and it wasn’t Roosevelt or Stalin.
I would like to hear that same speech by our president:”I have nothing to offer but Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat.”
“I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.
We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask, what is our policy? I can say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival. Let that be realised; no survival for the British Empire, no survival for all that the British Empire has stood for, no survival for the urge and impulse of the ages, that mankind will move forward towards its goal. But I take up my task with buoyancy and hope. I feel sure that our cause will not be suffered to fail among men. At this time I feel entitled to claim the aid of all, and I say, “come then, let us go forward together with our united strength.”