Great Britain was the world's foremost power during the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. Until the Suez crisis of 1956, the country was considered a 'superpower'. After 1956 however, with the loss of the empire, its dominant role in global affairs was gradually diminished
1、colonial expansion 16thprecipitous century 殖民扩张
谦受益满招损英语翻译British foreign relations since 1600 have focud on achieving a balance of power, with no country controlling the continent of Europe. The chief enemy, from the Hundred Years' War until the defeat of Napoleon (1337-1815) was France保卫婚姻战, a larger country with a more powerful army. The British were generally successful in their many wars, with the notable exception of the American War of Independence (1775–1783), when Britain, without any major allies, was defeated by the colonials who had the support of France, the Netherlands and Spain. A favored diplomatic strategy was subsidizing the armies of continental allies, such as Prussia, thereby turning London's enormous financial power to military advantage. Britain relied heavily on its Royal Navy for curity, eking to keep it the most powerful fleet afloat with a full complement of bas across the globe.
The British built up a very large worldwide British Empire, which peaked in size in the 1920-40 era and in wealth around 1900, then began to shrink until by the 1970s almost nothing was left but a "Commonwealth of Nations" that had little to do.[2] Britain finally turned its attention to the continent, joining the European Union.[3]
After 1900 Britain ended its "splendid isolation" by developing friendly relations with the United States and Japan 1902. Even more important—by forming the Triple Entente with France (1904) and Russia (1907), thus forging the anti-German alliance that fought the First World War (1914-1918). The "special relationship" with the U.S. endured. It played a pivotal role in the Second World War and the Cold War, and is in effect today through NATO. By 2014, however, the debate was underway whether Britain should reduce or cut its ties with the EU, and whether Scotland should leave the UK.[eagleeye
2、splendid isolation WW1大陆均势
Splendid isolation is the foreign policy pursued by Great Britain during the late 19th century, especially under the Conrvative Party premierships of Benjamin Disraeli and t
he Marquess of Salisbury.[1] The term was coined by a Canadian politician to prai Britain's minimal involvement in European affairs. There has been much debate among historians as to whether this policy was intentional or forced on Britain by contemporary events. Some historians, such as John Charmley, have argued that splendid isolation was a fiction for the period prior to the Franco-Russian Alliance of 1892, and that the policy was reluctantly pursued thereafter.[2] The Earl of Derby enunciated the policy in 1866 when he was foreign minister:
it is the duty of the Government of this country, placed as it is with regard to geographical position, to keep itlf upon terms of goodwill with all surrounding nations, but not to entangle itlf with any single or monopolizing alliance with any one of them; above all to endeavor not to interfere needlessly and vexatiously with the internal affairs of any foreign country."[2][3]
Background: During the late 19th century, Britain's primary goal in foreign policy was to maintain the balance of power in Europe and to intervene should that balance be upt. It
s condary goal was to protect its overas interest in the colonies and dominions, as free trade was what kept the Empire alive. The a routes to the colonies, especially tho linking Britain to India (via the Suez Canal), were vital.
The policy of 'Splendid Isolation' is perceived to have been characterized by a reluctance to enter into permanent European alliances or commitments with the other Great powers and by an increa in the importance given to British colonies, protectorates and dependenciesbear的过去式 overas in an era of increasing competition in the wider world, a situation relatively unknown since Britain's conflicts with France during the eighteenth century.
Abandonment of this policy
经理英文Some historians argue that Britain's isolation was formally ended by the 1902 Anglo-Japane Alliance. However this is disputed by T.G. Otte, who argues that the Anglo-Japane Alliance actually reinforced Britain's aloofness from the continent and the European alliance systems.[9] Britain began to normalize its relations with European countries that it had disputes with, and the 准考证号忘了怎么查询Entente cordiale and the Anglo-Russian Enten
te were signed in 1904 and 1907 respectively. The Alliance System was finally formed in the same year as the catenaTriple Alliance and Triple Entente, and is considered an important factor in the outbreak of World War I.[10]
3、allied powers 协约国一战时
4、splendid isolation
完成时5、Policy of Appeament WW2 绥靖主义
On 1 September 1939, German forces invaded Poland; Britain and France joined the war against Germany. Chamberlain's conduct of the war was not popular and, on 10 May 1940, Winston Churchill became Prime Minister. In July, some politicians inside and outside the government were still willing to consider Hitler's peace offer, but Churchill would not.[13] Chamberlain died on 9 November the same year. Churchill delivered a tribute to him in which he said, "Whatever el history may or may not say about the terrible, tremendous years, we can be sure that Neville Chamberlain acted with perfect si
免费翻译ncerity according to his lights and strove to the utmost of his capacity and authority, which were powerful, to save the world from the awful, devastating struggle in which we are now engaged." [14]
