IN ONE OF HIS FAMOUS SPEECHES Churchill asked America 'Give us the tools and we will finish the job'. But America wouldn't 'give' anything without payment. After two years of war, Roosevelt had drained Britain dry, stripping her of all her assets in the USA, including real estate and property. The British owned Viscose Company, worth £125 million was liquidated, Britain receiving only £87 million. Britain's £1,924 million investments in Canada were sold off to pay for raw materials bought in the United States. To make sure that Roosevelt got his money, he dispatched the American cruiser, 'Louisville ' to the South African naval base of Simonstown to pick up forty two million Pounds worth of British gold, to help pay for American guns and ammunition!.Not content with stripping Britain of her gold and assets, Roosevelt now proceeded to 'strip the flesh off the bone'. In return for 50 old destroyers, he demanded that Britain transfer all her scientific and technological secrets to the USA. (American science had been lagging years behind the British at this stage). Also, he demanded leases on the islands of Newfoundland, Jamaica, Trinidad and Bermuda for the setting up of American military and naval bases in case Britain should fall.QUOTE. Lord Beaverbrook was later to exclaim 'The Japanese are our relentless enemies, and the Americans our un-relenting creditors'.
I know that FDR hated the British Empire and saw WWII as a way to finish it off, just as WWI had seriously weakened it, a war which the USA deliberately stayed out of for as long as possible. However, I am sure that many freedom loving Americans did wish to help Britain and not just strip its assets. For example: the NRA was kind enough to ask its members to provide any guns they could spare to allow the British people to defend themselves against a German invasion. Thank you for that NRA.
Wendy Leach (Maria Aitken): Why on earth not?
Otto: Oh you English are so superior aren't you? Well would you like to know where you would be without us, the old U.S. of A to protect you? The smallest fucking province in the Russian empire. So don't call me stupid lady.
Wendy: Well thank you for popping in protecting us.
Very amusing. That is a quote from 'A fish called Wanda' isn't it? But what is the opinion of a fictional spook turned gangster supposed to prove?