"All of Vlad's forces and all of Vlad's men, are out to put Humpty together again." (5 Viewers)

[SaparotRob]

Putin must be hoping that the US will switch off the taps to Ukraine on Jan 21st.

 

[Admiral Beez]

I think that's the expectation, given the words coming out the 21st Century's pathetic imitators of Chamberlain.

When he became PM in May 1937, Chamberlain inherited a military neglected by PMs Stanley Baldwin (1923-29 & 1935-37) and Ramsey MacDonald (1924, 1929-35). He was no fool when he signed the Munich agreement with Hitler in 1938, as he knew Britain was not ready. But Chamberlain set to work, leading one of the largest rearmament campaigns of all time (Putin will have a equally massive postwar task rearming Russia), launching or laying down seven fleet carriers (Ark Royal, 6xIllustrious/Implacable class) and all five KGV class battleships. Chamberlain's government expedited the Spitfire, Hurricane and chain home radar programs that made Churchill's victory in the BoB possible. I've always thought that Chamberlain is unfairly tarred by us armchair historians.

 

[SaparotRob]

When he became PM in May 1937, Chamberlain inherited a military neglected by PMs Stanley Baldwin (1923-29 & 1935-37) and Ramsey MacDonald (1924, 1929-35). He was no fool when he signed the Munich agreement with Hitler in 1938, as he knew Britain was not ready. But Chamberlain set to work, leading one of the largest rearmament campaigns of all time (Putin will have a equally massive postwar task rearming Russia), launching or laying down seven fleet carriers (Ark Royal, 5xIllustrious/Implacable class) and all five KGV class battleships. Chamberlain's government expedited the Spitfire, Hurricane and chain home radar programs that made Churchill famous. I've always thought that Chamberlain is unfairly tarred by us armchair historians.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

I've always thought that Chamberlain is unfairly tarred by us armchair historians.

I don't have a problem with him trying to stave off war. I do have a problem with his apparent acceptance of the Munich agreement being sold as "peace in our time" when anyone with half-a-brain understood that Germany by then already had a track record of signing and then breaking agreements.

Of course the Allies needed more time to rearm. But saying that it meant peace seems awfully naive -- or cynical.

 

[SaparotRob]

He was a politician. He had to spin it, I guess.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

He was a politician. He had to spin it, I guess.

And I think your guess is spot-on. "Listen, folks, I just signed this agreement, but I don't expect it to last long in the face of events" is a much harder selling point.

 

[SaparotRob]

And I think your guess is spot-on. "Listen, folks, I just signed this agreement, but I don't expect it to last long in the face of events" is a much harder selling point.

 

[Admiral Beez]

He was a politician. He had to spin it, I guess.

Like Putin's 3 day special operation.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Like Putin's 3 day special operation.

Except Chamberlain didn't have opponents defenestrated.