The Story
After the dust of World War II had settled, the military position of the UK was far from straightforward. It was of course allied to the USA and part of NATO, but it was at odds with the former in maintaining an Empire and the two nations also had competing oil interests in the Middle East. The UKs engagement in war after 1945 was thus a strange mixture ranging from homeland security through insular actions within the colonies or protectorates to preserve empire to playing a major role in confronting the USSR. The types of active involvement of the RAF, Fleet Air Arm and Army Air Corps between 1945 and 1995 include the following, with examples.Maintaining Local Stability Greece, Netherlands East Indies. Maintaining Empire Malaya, Kenya. Defending Empire Borneo. Defending Interests Suez, Kuwait. Homeland Security Northern Ireland, air defense. Confrontation Berlin Airlift, Korea. Covert Action Albania, strategic reconnaissance. Humanitarian and Peacekeeping Jordan, Cyprus. Development of Deterrent Bombs, bombers and missiles.
Description
After the dust of World War II had settled, the military position of the UK was far from straightforward. It was of course allied to the USA and part of NATO, but it was at odds with the former in maintaining an Empire and the two nations also had competing oil interests in the Middle East. The UKs engagement in war after 1945 was thus a strange mixture ranging from homeland security through insular actions within the colonies or protectorates to preserve empire to playing a major role in confronting the USSR. The types of active involvement of the RAF, Fleet Air Arm and Army Air Corps between 1945 and 1995 include the following, with examples.Maintaining Local Stability Greece, Netherlands East Indies. Maintaining Empire Malaya, Kenya. Defending Empire Borneo. Defending Interests Suez, Kuwait. Homeland Security Northern Ireland, air defense. Confrontation Berlin Airlift, Korea. Covert Action Albania, strategic reconnaissance. Humanitarian and Peacekeeping Jordan, Cyprus. Development of Deterrent Bombs, bombers and missiles.
