soc.history.war.world-war-ii

"Stephen Graham" wrote in message
news:9uidnWQ62-DsWHPbnZ2dnUVZ_hisnZ2d@ ...

> All of them were invited to join the
> Commonwealth and declined.
>
> Burma was part of the Empire and
> declined, as did the Sudan, Somalia, and
> various Persian Gulf states.

Mainly the Arab/Muslim states declined wanting to be in an Arab League.
Burma became communist. Nevertheless there is still strong British influence
in Burma. When Britain says something they sit up and listen.

>> There has to consensus otherwise you can't rule. When a country wholly
>> did not want the British there they moved out - British America is one
>> example. Too much hassle and expense staying for little to no gain.
>
> Your definition of hassle includes six years of open warfare by regular
> armies?

It taught them not to bother. It also taught them that white settlement was
a pain. The government didn't initially want NZ because of the British
American experience. Later, problems with white Rhodesia from 1965 to 1979.

> The British applied military force in many
> of their colonies on a regular
> basis. The threat of it was always there,
> even if there was a preference
> to avoid it if possible.

You make it sound as if they were Nazis. Uprisings they would put down. The
rule of law was paramount.

> You might wish to learn a bit more about the workings of the Empire. You
> might start off with something such as Byron Farwell's _Queen Victoria's
> Little Wars_, which is a basic introduction to the military efforts
> involved.

Learn a little more about how the empire was gained and generally run. Books
about how peaceful and gentile some places were in the empire don't sell.