American Reacts | How Did The British Empire Rule The World? | KNOWLEDGIA | Reaction

King Boomer's Reaction to Knowledgia's excellent video highlighting the British Empire and how the British conducted their rule of it. ENJOY!
Original Video: • How did The British Em...
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[@bravo2966]

In WWII the British Empire fielded the largest volunteer army the world has ever seen. Over 4 million Empire troops, every last one of them a volunteer. They never brought in conscription for Empire troops.

[@christophermichaelclarence6003]

Oh yeah. We French volunteers Black soldier as back in WW2 We were the only who incorporate Overseas soldiers

[@jamajsie6588]

@@christophermichaelclarence6003 I had a stroke reading that

[@extint3407]

@@christophermichaelclarence6003 are you stupid? We had troops from India, The carribean, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand....

[@TheRetroManRandySavage]

@@jamajsie6588 Zut.😂

[@1951woodygeo]

@@christophermichaelclarence6003 didn’t the French surrender within a couple of days of Germany Crossing your Border and your leaders fled to the UK 🇬🇧 leaving 250,000 British expeditionary force stuck on the Dunkirk beaches my Dad being one of them oh and he did return to help liberate your country and fought at the Battle of the Bulge and the Bridge at Arnhem in Holland before Crossing the Rhine on his way to Berlin now you can have a stroke reading this .🇬🇧🇬🇧 🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 tell me exactly what the French did again apart from the resistance the real hero’s of the France not your leaders who all fled . To London

[@mildandbitter]

One of the big problems for the American colonists after the Seven Years War were rhe Treaties that Britain had signed with Native American nations. These prohibited western expansion of the American colonies into Natve nations.. A cause for the American Revolution that is curiously seldom mentioned.

[@generaladvance5812]

'Manifest destiny', or imperialism but with a more pleasant sounding name.

[@ste6473]

Doesn't sound good that's why

[@BikersDoItSittingDown]

it is not mentioned as it makes the US government look bad

[@ukmaxi]

That with the threat of the abolition of slavery in the colonies as the cases mounting against slavery were gradually mounting in GB/UK at the time.

[@errolmills2192]

While fighting in America Britain was also fighting against Napoleon in Europe, the French in Canada.

[@CrazyInWeston]

Yeah and I say good. Why? We got a lucky escape, look at these Americans now with their arrogance, ignorance and stupidity....Their willfullness to sue someone over the smallest things, their Karens, their racism... Lucky escape I say.

[@robocop3961]

💯! Americans tend to over look that and the fact that Britain only sent at least 25% of its army at that time! It it was full on war with the colonists in America then they wouldn’t be ‘America’!!!!!

[@neilcairns9531]

As a proud British man, I would like to apologise for all the countries we missed sincere apologies. Maybe next time we'll get you

[@ReeceyBoy_4]

Haha

[@johnlightbody9942]

Absolutely fantastic to hear an American acknowledge that the July independence day celebrated as US success, WAS in fact due to USA being assisted very much so by French, Spanish, Dutch. Also not all of the colonial states supported their own side.... Noting also, the very people who fought this revolution in colonial US were of British origin....

[@jeffgraham6387]

Actually Boomer most valuable income during the Revolutionary War was from our West Indies sugar trade which the French began to threaten, at that time it was far more important to hold on to these islands rather than the mainland so we sent lots of troops to protect the islands thus weakening the mainland army.

[@laurencehudson2788]

As a Brit I sincerely enjoyed your video.. WELL DONE.. I felt you made the film in a compassionate way to your nation but also to our Country 🇬🇧👍👊🇺🇸

[@AlchemistOfNirnroot]

You should watch Peep Show and/or The Thick of It.

[@chasbikeravda3933]

Very interesting Mr Boomer, great to see someone fascinated with history. I saw the VC medal video with Jezza and wondered if you know of the battle where the most Victoria crosses were rewarded for a single conflict. The battle was Rorkes Drift in southern Africa where 100 (mostly Welsh regiment) stood against 6,000 Zulu warriors during the Boer wars. There's a fantastic movie about it called "Zulu". Unlike most "based on a true story" movies, this one was around 90% fact. Would have been made I think in 1964, and was Michael Caine's first ever lead role. At the end you get all the VC awarded names. It is still my favourite war movie and would love to see you react to it. Best regards, Charlie (muppet) Valentine.

[@KingBoomer]

Yes I saw Zulu a long time ago. I might have to watch it again. I didn’t know that most of them were Welsh. Thanks!

[@rickb.4168]

It wasn't a called the South Wales Borderers until 2 years after. it was The 24th reg. The 2nd Warwickshires. Welshmen at Rorke's Drift Once again, the film 'Zulu' makes a point of suggesting that the 24th Regiment, and in particular 'B' Company, was mainly Welsh. In fact, the Welsh constituted only 11% of the 24th. Regt. at Rorke's Drift. Although the regiment was then based in Brecon in South Wales and called the 24th. Regiment of Foot (later to be the South Wales Borderers), it was formerly the Warwickshire Regiment. Many of the defenders had never been to Brecon. Of the 24th Regt. at the defence, the numbers (Source: 'The Noble 24th. by Norman Holme), 49 were English, 18 Monmouthshire,16 Irish, 1 Scottish, 14 Welsh and 21 of unknown nationality. 'This is a Welsh regiment, although there are some foreigners in it mind'.

[@rickb.4168]

I was nearer 140 men. i think 139 after the horse mounted Natal troops had fled.

[@chasbikeravda3933]

Thanks Rick B., very interesting. I bought the special DVD a few years back and there's a fascinating documentary as an extra. It speaks to some of the historically vested families and how a few characters had their names besmirched for dramatic purposes, unfortunately I can't remember all of it. I did have a friend, who had an ancestor involved, who visited the museum in Wales. He told me that some aristocratic general involved, out searching for the Zulu army, was informed by a messenger that they had been sighted near Isandwala (where 1500 British and local help were slaughtered). Apparently his arrogant response was, "They can't possibly be over there, because I am looking for them here.". 🤦‍♂️

[@HeinrichVenter88]

While you're on the Anglo-Zulu war, the 2 Anglo-Boer wars are also some good history to check out pertaining to the Empire and it's colonies.

[@McKamikazeHighlander]

Fun fact: during the American War of Independence, no more than 45% of the colonists supported the war. Most either supported Britain or chose to remain neutral. The war was instigated by a small group of individuals. That, aswell as foreign assistance, made their victory a minor miracle

[@johnpatrick5307]

I think the people who did the bulk of the fighting were the Irish! (about 40% of the army) - Washingtons Army celebrated St Patricks Day!

[@antiqueinsider]

Hi KB, I am just completing a Christmas Quiz, which I already proposed to some other 'reactors' like Eclectic Beard, Squirrel and Embrace the Suck. This follows a UK traditional party game and features questions focused on the last year. The best known is Jimmy Carr's 'Big Fat Quiz of The Year'. My version includes a fun collection of questions which refer to the UK reactors and what they reacted to. So this is a preliminary approach. Maybe it's fun to join in a zoom call with some of the other reactors, or maybe you prefer to do it 'solo' (and maybe you think it's a terrible idea!) I've had fun working out the questions (and making it fair to everyone, as well as funny) What do you think?

[@AriasandtheNATION]

Brilliant

[@AriasandtheNATION]

@Artful Bodger true!

[@antiqueinsider]

@@DruncanUK There are certainly a few questions about that, but I also tried for maximum diversity and a 'balanced playing field', and just a little bit 'offbeat'! ;)

[@tobytaylor2154]

I've had my bloodline serving since Henry VIII and have photos of my relatives serving from the 1890s onwards across the empire. The narrator is reading from a book, you can hear him turning pages

[@MrDavebeemer]

If you do history content I commit to watch anything you post while u get traction, anyway dont sell yourself short, most subs are here cause they like you so I figure exposing them to history content may infact be a whole new experience for them which they are predisposed to enjoy! Do the raid on st nzair by Clarkson, its the "next" after the Vic Cross you did

[@neilgodfrey6578]

I really enjoyed this, you're a clever man King B.

[@w0033944]

I think that French assistance of which you spoke was one of the causes of the old-fashioned view in the UK that the French were untrustworthy.

[@bravo2966]

That goes a lot further back than that.

[@machinist_matt]

Still are untrustworthy

[@anoldfogeysfun]

Good Vid, Boomy, m8 . . . and I have to say, it's always nice when I hear any American who knows enough about history to understand that the former colonists of the day - (who then became the rebels) - didn't actually win it (Independence) all on their own! . . . What many fail to know or understand, was that due to France, Spain and Holland (The Netherlands) - Britain was soon then fighting wars on 4 fronts . . . And at that time, you have to remember that America - (The 13 Colonies) - was still only a small nation of recent newcomers, along with the native population . . . So the trade itself wasn't really that huge yet . . .so, America rebelling back then was not seen as being a major issue compared to fighting the other three major countries on sea and land, which was where most of the military would be used to counter any attacks on areas already gained and more fruitful in trade . . . Without their help, as you said, I doubt there would have been a successful outcome for the rebels if all Britain's military forces had been able to be sent over . . . However, like so many other countries, you would have likely gained your independence from us anyway, and then also been a member of the Commonwealth, too . . . ??? But hey-ho, all of that history is indeed just history now . . .

[@ReeceyBoy_4]

Great video. Love stuff like this. I'm English so enjoy learning more and more about this. Pround to be English

[@andrewmoore7416]

Err, you could look at it another way...if France and Spain hadn't of helped and the British crushed the rebellion, we would have given you your independence by now and you'd have a working Healthcare system!

[@alabama1413]

Excellent video, very informative & interesting throughout. Thanks for posting KB 👍

[@eyesofisabelofficial]

One surviving remnant of the British Empire is Royal Enfield Motorcycles. Started at the end of the 19th century in the Worcestershire town of Redditch. After Indian independence they opened a factory in India to fulfill a huge government order and even after the parent company folded, the Indian arm carried on production whilst maintaining technical and engineering links with the UK, which is still the case today.

[@robocop3961]

Ohhh is that why the Indian’s love to ride motorcycles.

[@eyesofisabelofficial]

@@robocop3961 In the last few days I visited the Royal Enfield stand at the NEC and met a development engineer sent over from India - he agreed that the motorcycle culture in India is a direct link with the UK.

[@aaronrobertcattell8859]

The Royal African Company (RAC) was an English mercantile (trading) company set up in 1660 by the royal Stuart family and City of London merchants to trade along the west coast of Africa.

[@glenn9683]

Ireland is in the flag too, the cross of Saint Patrick

[@tonygriffin_]

Interesting factoid about that painting! New South Wales was named that by Cook because he felt it resembled South Wales. As a resident of (Old) South Wales, I gotta say I don't see it - we don't have any kangaroos, venemous reptiles, venemous spiders, venemous fish, venemous octopuses or killer fish, rocks, sharks and all that other deadly wildlife. Just squirrels and sheep here.

[@davidforman6191]

Royal Navy doctrine was to be 2 times larger than any other 2 countries navies combined. Eventually became unaffordable.

[@CryptidsRoost]

Wales also has her own flag but we aren't represented on the union jack. Hence why many of us do not acknowledge ourselves as the united kingdom, as we are not united

[@tanyacampbell29]

Considering we were invaded by the Romans, The Vikings and the Normans I would disagree about the geographical location serving as a major advantage in not being invaded or conquered as both have happened. If you like history watch 'The British Crusade Against Slavery" I enjoy watching Americans react to that and seeing their reactions as they all realise they have lied to their entire lives.

[@kingseb2252]

Well it is true that the british dohave an advantage they wereonly invaded at those times is because they weren't united mostly tribes or small fragile kingdoms with no navy if you have a centralised government even a monarchy with a powerful navy like british would get then you would be impossible to invade like napoleon failed hitler failed usa never attempted they knew they'd fail

[@robmartin525]

A thought I've been having more and more recently: The British Empire was becoming more and more liberal as time went on. The roots of this date all the way back to Magna Carta 1215 Slavery, there's a load of stuff on YT about that. Most people these days don't look into how it ended. After the Industrial Revolution, there were more and more safety laws. Including forbidding children in the workplace (eventually) The popular vote, it was given to more and more people until eventually: Women's suffrage! Plenty of men were in favour of this as well! Obviously we did some stuff that would be frowned upon very heavily [by todays standards] but I do wonder what the British Empire would have looked like if it had survived!

[@CrazyInWeston]

I think what you should be asking is how backward the world would be if the British Empire didnt exist? See, despite the crimes, the BE also did a lot of good. It democratised many many nations and also brought them forward into the modern world. How many backward Asian/African/South American countries would there be today if the British didnt go about enforcing their democracy, being a gentleman and 'New World' modern standards (Industrial revolution bringing in the railways and machines etc) How many countries would still be under dictatorships? How many countries wouldnt have benefited from Empire rule and never gotten the infrastructure like the British built railways that countries like India thrive upon. Indians would have much much more infighting cos the BE kinda united India. Africa would still be tribes fighting tribes.

[@susanmulholland5715]

As you like history king boomer you will enjoy Jeremy Clarkson telling the story of the Arctic convoy pq17 a ROYAL NAVY WW2, convoy which delivered vital war supplies on british and USA merchant ships to the Soviet Union via the Arctic, ocean or see another one by Jeremy Clarksons called The Greatest raid of all time about ww2 commando raid

[@markrichards171]

The one in America (Mainly Canada ) was the HUDSON BAY COMPANY.

[@catherinewilkins2760]

If you like history I would recommend Sir Thomas Cochrane. He is the embodiment of all the lunatic stereotypes of us. He was a Royal Navy Captain who Napoleon hated and called him the Seawolf. Some of his escapades were used in the film Master and Commander. Time has forgotten him. A hero in South America.

[@hillbill79]

Have you read the Sharpe Books by Bernard Cornwell? Sharpes Devil is about Cochrane when he was admiral of the Chilean rebel navy after he escaped from prison in Britain. Good book. Mad guy.

[@danjames5552]

I rate cochrane as one of the top British blokes of all time .

[@christophermichaelclarence6003]

Our French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. Best Conquerer of Europe Greatest Strategic Military Genius And Best General in History with 56 battles (rumors say he won 70)

[@danjames5552]

@@christophermichaelclarence6003 who got beat in 1812 and then the English at Waterloo etc . And I have seen his tiny Wang in a box 😂.

[@christophermichaelclarence6003]

@@danjames5552 I know those years. Our French Emperor Napoleon lost against Russia 🇷🇺 in 1812 Battle of Borodino due to extreme Cold. At least he had the gut to invade Moscow And he lost his last battle Waterloo 1815 against the Redcoats the Bristish led by Duke of Wellington 🇬🇧. That Guy got blackup the Prussians led by Blücher

[@woooster17]

As Eddie Izzard would say.. “Do you have a flag?” 😂

[@CrazyInWeston]

"non, nous n'avons que cette feuille blanche" The French might say... Its something about having a white sheet.

[@abarratt8869]

To answer the question in the title, the enabling factor was good ships in the Royal Navy and the invention of accurate time keeping at sea by John Harrison which allowed accurate navigation and shortest routes. Basically the Royal Navy and Britain's merchant fleet could get places fast and bring forces and commerce to bear sooner than other European powers. Empire building was at least significantly state sponsored burglary (though there was some more equitable partnership building too here and there), and there is no profit in being the second burglar on the scene.

[@davec4955]

Good seeing a different side of you!

[@funster73mcr2]

I heard the colonists actually paid a lower rate of tax than those back home. Funny how they break for freedom and end up paying more tax. 🤦

[@timsimpson9367]

True. The people back in Britain were fed up with paying taxes for the colonies.

[@craigfowler7098]

You now officially know more about UK than most school kids here

[@KingBoomer]

Hahaha I doubt that’s true lol

[@craigfowler7098]

@@KingBoomer Trust me I am not joking. I am the one who recommended Inbetweeners, when you doing last episode

[@KingBoomer]

@@craigfowler7098 when Queen Boomer has time

[@jasonbrown9731]

Because the Marxists in charge of British education would rather have British children not know about their ancestors and their achievements.

[@pipercharms7374]

@@KingBoomer if the education is still the same its likely true, 26 here and I remember barely being taught about the british empire, it was romans, middle ages, industral revolution, WW1 WW2, stuff to do with the monarchy and yeah. barely anything to do with the empire. Maybe it would have been covered in more detail if I'd done history at a higher education level but just during normal secondary school- high school to you, it was barely covered. I found out about general knowledge about it after I became more interested in history as I got older.

[@machinist_matt]

Some call us colonists, I prefer the title world champions. 🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@tonywilkinson6895]

History and comedy are a perfect match. So too - - life and a sense of humour.🤝

[@kevinmorse8814]

Hi King Boomer 👍, could you do one of the spread and development of the English language. Your history knowledge is very interesting.

[@Gothikaelektronika]

Ireland officially became part of the UK with the Act Of Union in 1801. Although we had been under English rule long before that.

[@dexstewart2450]

Major underpinning factors missing: 1) The shipbuilding stolen from the Dutch 2) The establishment of a stable currency, backed up by Dutch-style Banking 3) The effectiveness of the British Army after the inclusion of Highland Regiments

[@britblue]

I heard a good quote a while back about The East India Trading company - think of Amazon with a fleet of Hunter Killer submarines and you have the modern day equivalent!

[@philipr1567]

When considering how such a relatively small island could rise to such dominance around the world you must consider three factors not mentioned in the video: (1) Alliances, treaties, and royal marriages - arranged to prevent any one nation in mainland Europe from becoming too dominant and posing a threat. (2) Technological innovation and copying other nations' inventions. (3) Raw materials - there were abundant supplies of water (to operate mills and machinery), timber (for shipbuilding, charcoal, and many other uses), coal, iron, copper, tin, lead, and other minerals.

[@alecv4622]

Talking of the East India Company reminded me of that series Taboo with Tom Hardy. Would have loved them to sort out a second series, not sure what happened there! Well just read that they are working on a second series, here's hoping that continues!

[@patriarch7237]

Yeah, Taboo was great. The EIC did not come out of it particularly well...

[@dianeshelton9592]

Tom Hardy has said there will be a second series soon. Hooray

[@patriarch7237]

@@dianeshelton9592 That's good to hear, thank you.

[@philipashley9723]

Your comment, "without the French help, the colonists would probably not have won". Now you can understand, when Al Murray always hits on the French. 🤗

[@niklfc9384]

Watch Sargon’s video giving the comedian Frankie Boyle a telling off regarding Britain’s abolition of the slavery trade..it would make a great reaction video..keep these great vids coming..❤️🇬🇧😁👍

[@machinist_matt]

This.

[@jona826]

Sargon's video you mean, real name Carl Benjamin.

[@niklfc9384]

@@jona826 yes I did..thankyou 🙈

[@ianjardine7324]

The revolutionary war also caused a huge change within the empire leading to more enlightened governance of overseas territories and stricter supervision of local government to prevent dissent against the central government caused by local oppression and mid management. By the time of India's independence most of the Viceroy's council which actually ran India was Indian and 9/10 judges were Indians educated in prestigious British law schools. Many people are under the impression Indian taxes went to the British government but almost all taxes raised in India were spent there. These reasons are why the eventual separation was handled so well by both governments and why both countries still have a good deal of respect for each other over two centuries we both grew together and learned much culturally from each other we became family. Your big brother may not have always been perfect but he always did and always will have your back.

[@catherinewilkins2760]

We outlawed Sati.

[@giannimaximilian.bennett6124]

Lovely watching you from Halifax, England. Giannimaximilian Bennett.

[@jona826]

These days it's not politically correct to look back on the era of the British Empire with admiration but as a Brit myself I do have a degree of pride in how powerful my ancestors were from the mid 1800s onwards. The enormous economic cost of WWII, plus our biggest ally America wanting a post-Colonial world, led to the gradual withdraw from and ending of Empire from 1945 onwards. We still have cordial relations with our old colonies though, reformulated as the Commonwealth, which no other post-Colonial power really achieved.

[@robocop3961]

Thanks to the queen 👍🏻

[@neiluk1470]

This is interesting about the Berlin conference. I had never heard of it, but I had heard that a philosopher called Hegel from the 1800's predicted the great war *and* the second world war! 19:40

[@ianjardine7324]

17:20 while the east India company was partly responsible for the sepoy mutiny this video conveniently doesn't explain why the sepoys ( Indian troops serving the crown) would mutiny over local rulers losing power. The mutiny was sparked by rumors spread by European agents mostly French that the fat used to water proof paper rifle cartridges was made from pork and beef deeply angering both Hindus and Muslims. When these men understandably demanded answers they were ignored with predictable results.

[@williamwallace2804]

If you put it in context Britain faced America, France, Spain, the Dutch and let's not forget the pirates all alone and we had the upper hand for such a long time, that's power....just like when we faced all of Europe alone before the Americans decided to join in the war of 1 and 2, we still had power then but then I think America waited to join those wars when they saw that Britain was weak, yes that's right America took advantage of us....that still continues to this day, sorry

[@ThePhantomMajor]

The Royal Navy was ULTRA aggressive & had more ships than all other navies put together, during the 19th Century.

[@catherinewilkins2760]

1801 was the Act of Union of the UK encorporating nations of the British Isles. Due in Supreme Court in a couple of weeks, love it you couldn't make it up.

[@DeusVult71]

The tea at the Boston tea party that got thrown in the river was not heading to Britain it was going to the colonies so they throw their own tea into the river 😂🤣🤦

[@extint3407]

The thing is, why do they think that us not receiving our tea is gonna hurt us?

[@jsan9389]

I'm from London and still pissed they through the tea

[@patriarch7237]

@@extint3407 Us not receiving the tax on the tea, was the point of contention.

[@ReeceyBoy_4]

Only just started the video and noticed Ric Flair , wooo tang clan t shirt hahaha

[@cynthiaschultheis1660]

SEE EDDIE IZZARDS "DRESS TO KILL" IN WHICH HE DESCRIBES THE BRITISH EMPIRE...HILARIOUS😂😂

[@SimonWattsWILDPresentationsUK]

My Dad used to tell me stories that he was be told by his Great Uncle who fought in the Boar War in SA - and then fighting the Zulu Warriors, all in the late 19th century. Pretty harsh and bloody conflict that obviously precedes WW1 - also where we started an intensive form of prisoner incarceration that we gave the catchy title 'concentration camps'. We have so much to answer for but then we also set up so much of the modern infrastructure and framework for half of the world. Ugly business - most justified in the name of God, of course. Loved this KB, admire a guy who understands the nuances of history and humanity - and what a bag of shit we really are. Si.

[@Anwar157]

Fascinating war the Boar Wars were. Farmers vs British Army, First "concentration camps" (as you said!) 3 Future world leaders in one battle, "the battle of Spionkop" (Churchill, Gandhi & Botha) If any one of them had died, the world today would be a different place. Not to mention a whole train of gold that just disappeared, lol. People are still searching for that gold today!

[@jasonbrown9731]

The greatest and most benevolent Empire that ever existed.

[@lordsoros627]

What the Nazis called "concentration camps" were not that. They were death camps. If you think the British empire was "evil" then you just don't know your history. Firstly the game of thrones had been played since time immemorial, no one used their turn for anything approaching the modern standards we judge them by, which is ironic because the standards you judge the BE by were given to you BY the BE. individual inalienable common law natural rights. Want to guess who gave you that idea? Trial by jury? The presumption of innocence? Jury nullification? The modern idea of constitutionality? The rule of law? Shall I go on? The high ground that you criticise from was BUILT by the BE. and I say this as a proud and British Irishman.

[@SimonWattsWILDPresentationsUK]

@@lordsoros627 He's a feisty one! Try and reference what you're saying against what it is that I said. Tricky isn't it, that's because you've just gone on a rant that has no bearing on my comment - at all. I guess that's the Irish in you. Now, down tiger.

[@jasonbrown9731]

@@lordsoros627 spot on.

[@bruvsunited2555]

Didn’t CityBoys do this a few days before king boomer?

[@waynelowe3329]

The craziest thing is what we managed to achieve even though we are smaller than 11 states in America and France and spain are over twice the size we always punched above our weight but managed to come out on top

[@Hustwick]

Eddie Izzard: (the old one, when he was funny) "Flags"

[@Simon42102]

It’s probably be invaded more times than a lot of country’s too! It’s been known as the English prize. Vikings, Romans, French, Saxons etc

[@59jalex]

Even if Britain had 'won', we would have given America independence. As we did with Australia and Canada etc.

[@SweetBrazyN]

Great reaction glad you finally got round to this! Also WW1 gets looked over a lot and a couple weeks ago it was the 104tg anniversary of the end of WW1, You should react To ‘World war One’ by Epic history TV he has a great 10/15 min video on each year of the war with great information and animations I’m sure you’ll enjoy!👌💯

[@christophermichaelclarence6003]

We French fought the most in WW1 Eventually the War took place in our soil 🟦⬜🟥🇫🇷

[@robocop3961]

@@christophermichaelclarence6003 🏳️🏳️🏳️😂😂😂😂

[@AlchemistOfNirnroot]

I don't see why WW1 was skipped over. It's a major factor in the demise of the British Empire.

[@1951woodygeo]

It was WW2 that caused the demise of the Empire that’s when most went for Independence .

[@bigenglishmonkey]

nah WW2 was worse since the British empire was at its largest years after WW1.

[@AlchemistOfNirnroot]

@@1951woodygeo WW2 was more of a final blow. However, the UK's economy took a massive blow during WW1 and everything else followed; as Britain failed to remain an economic superpower (as the US took lead). Just because the empire had increased it's size doesn't mean its economy has. And it was WWI which started the chain of events.

[@1951woodygeo]

@@AlchemistOfNirnroot both ears were to blame but WW2 was the final nail . That’s what I’m getting at .

[@anthonyferris8912]

Britain entered WW1 ruling the biggest empire in the world and came out of it with an even bigger one. It lost Ireland, but gained territory from Germany in Africa making British rule continuous from Cape Town to the Suez Canal. However you are right in that cracks were revealed, not only to the colonised, but also to the British working classes who saw they had gained little from the empire project.

[@stevenjohn4751]

If you have a keen interest in historical USA/UK relations check out War Plan Red. Its an interesting piece of history that could have been.

[@chrisaskin6144]

A few years ago I read a statement of fact in a book, that said the Queen (I'm guessing that has now transferred to the King) was technically the owner of one sixth of the Earth's land surface. Don't ask me to qualify that because I can't, the book itself didn't provide an explanation.

[@henryrendell3260]

It's because of the commonwealth. The king is the ruler of the commonwealth.

[@JJ-of1ir]

He skipped very quickly over his statement 'the slave trade was abolished in 1807'. In fact, what he could have said was that the British passed an Act of Parliament outlawing slavery. Already fighting Napolean to halt his wars against countries in Europe, Britain started its crusade against slavery, sending just two ships to patrol Africa's West Coast. As soon as they defeated Napolean at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 - with the help of Prussia's General Blucher's timely arrival at the end of the day - Britain turned her attention back to the fighting the slave trade. The West Africa Squadron (a squadron of the Royal Navy) was increased to 25 ships and for over one hundred and sixty years fought against slavery. First on the West Coast of Africa and then on its East Coast. Their last patrol was in 1970 I believe. Africa, a continent of ancient civilisations much older than the countries of Europe, (I believe) had relied on its slave trade, for at least a thousand years or more on its East Coast so it was not a fight easily won.

[@leehallam9365]

It's not really true that the sea itself protected Britain from invasion, given that moving by water was the easiest way to get around, the sea actually made it pretty easy to invade. It was the creation of the Royal Navy that changed that from Henry VIII'S reign that changed that. A defended sea is a barrier, an undefended one is a route.

[@CryptidsRoost]

Regards British India, the Brits were asked for help by the Maharajah at the time, which they duly did. Unfortunately the British then basically stayed there and raped the country of it's gems/jewels, artefacts, etc. They eventually led to India becoming a third world country (in the most part).

[@cs2365]

1 interesting thing from this all is I have always wondered how things would of turned out if the French wasn't so obsessed with some kind of revenge on the English for Canada by helping the 13 States in America gain independence how far we would of pushed down into the Americas.

[@williamhorton9763]

Magnificently, of course.

[@HeinrichVenter88]

Once railroads became a thing the empire expanded very quickly in the 19th century

[@errolmills2192]

Not badly and they have left much of their culture. India, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and others have laws based in English law, The two kingdoms of England and Scotland have the same King. King Charles is both King on England of Scotland. Through ancestral lines he is jointly and severally the king of both.

[@dirtbikerman1000]

As for the british flag at the beginning it's only England and Scotland The uk flag has an extra red diagonal cross on top of the white diagonal scottish cross I think I'm correct saying the red diagonal cross represents northern Ireland and Wales We never had room for a dragon that's on the Welsh flag unfortunately

[@acommenter]

England and wales are both represented by st george's cross, romans and normans ruled england and wales as a single country and we had a lot of patchy "who rules who" across both territories until the Tudor times IIRC The red diagonal cross (called st patrick's cross) originally represented the whole of Ireland but the ROI gained independence so we kept st patricks cross to represent northern Ireland instead.

[@patriarch7237]

The Irish red stripe is offset on the leading side of the flag (flagpole, or left if there is no flagpole) so that the white Scottish diagonal is wider. Scotland has primacy because they joined the union in the beginning. Wales doesn't get a separate element of the flag as it was seen being in the same kingdom as England, dating to before the time national flags were really a thing.

[@martindevon3204]

And the world's biggest warship, cvn78, just visited the UK

[@simu31]

12:36 And if France hadn't helped the American colonists, spending money France needed for their own people, Louis XVI wouldn't have lost his head... literally!

[@dexstewart2450]

Glossed over the East India Co., no mention of Clive, the occupation of pinch-points across the world's oceans...

[@rickmolton774]

The war of independence was in fact a continuation of the English Civil war

[@Davepin999]

You should check out the series 'come fly with me'

[@davidmarsden9800]

The War of Independence had the benefit of causing the economic crisis in France due to the cost of helping the colonists. This led to the French Revolution and was a sort of consolation prize for the British for losing. However the most valuable trade was with the Caribbean colonies and India by a large margin and in more valuable diverse goods. The French invaded the US in the Seven Years War mainly because a French Diplomatic mission was slaughtered on it's way from Canada to the US colonial government by the troops and Indian scouts under the command of George Washington, who was reprimanded and overlooked for promotion afterwards.

[@1889jonny]

Robbie Burns, Scottish bard, once said; "The reason the sun never sets on the British Empire, is because god would never trust an Englishman in the dark" As an Englishman, I'm quite proud of that assessment 😁

[@AdamDawson1984]

You should check out Carl Benjamin's video on How Britain ended the slave trade.

[@johnpetermalcolm]

FAO King Boomer: Might I suggest that you obtain a copy of the excellent book "Old World, New World" by the American historian and author Kathleen Burk.

[@j.ftyson8209]

It was pointing at the caribbean not the usa . The caribbean was where all the resources were for the great wealth

[@passionfruit5320]

Didn't uk do All murrys England vs nations.... that's all you need to know.

[@ShakemeisterS64]

Something that's often overlooked - the UK abolished slavery and the Royal Navy lost hundreds of men fighting slave trading ships. The slave traders were North African Arabs.

[@johnpatrick5307]

Yes - and they never had slavery did they.

[@TheMarrification]

No taxation without... etc. People forget, hardly anyone had representation back then, it wasn't just the American colonies. As a regular working-class guy here in Britain, I wasn't allowed to vote until 1918! Back in the late 18th century, only wealthy land-owning nobility were allowed to vote. Not even people with professions like doctors and lawyers were allowed to. Britain wasn't too bothered about losing the American colonies, to us it was all about money, trade, and resources. We just went to India and Australia instead. Also, at the time, Britain was having an industrial revolution. "Britain maintained a level of control"?! The Indian rebellion in the 1850s failed, and Britain ruled them even harsher as outright emperors instead. Where has this guy got his facts from?

[@P5YcHoKiLLa]

14:10 "In the wuuuuuwd" 14:35 NORTHERN Ireland King ! Yikes...prepare for the comments.

[@geoffduke1763]

People talk of the demise of the British Empire but in reality Britain quickly realised with the loss of India that she could not hold on to her empire so changed tact and instead of controlling the land masses set up tax havens to control the money instead. The likes of the British Virgin Islands being set up as a tax haven and the London Financial District central in the control. Anyone interested in this should watch "The Spider’s Web: Britain’s Second Empire" on YT

[@transponderful]

It's not a political union. The Umited Kingdom is a sovereign country. iN 1707 at the act of union both countries Scotland and England dissolved to become one country.

[@errolmills2192]

The history is vast and you must keep an open mind. Especially India, just about everyone gets this bungled.

[@JoeSurkitt]

America was one of our least profitable assets at the time of the American war of independence and so was more focused on India whilst simultaneously fighting France. What became of the USA at the time was in no way predicted.

[@Bowleskov]

If I understand correctly you are in Florida which was never owned by Britain, only the original 13 colonies were governed by Britain, The French and Spanish never really get credit for their own Colonisation of the US. I guess a war is far more memorable than a Purchase.

[@johnp8131]

Interesting view on the American Revolutionary War for an American? Do you know where your forefathers were at the time? Also, many historians now admit, the majority of ordinary "Americans" at the time, either didn't want or didn't care about independence, It was mainly the wealthy Americans that would have had their trade monopolies affected by the taxes, not the ordinary people?

[@Jessy-cs1jz]

So the fact we were an island nation gave us the upper hand over others !! Why did the industrial revolution start in Britain ? Why did so much litrature , science , arts and music develope ? Why so many explorers , inventors and medical achievements ? Makes ya wonder !

[@rickycassidy]

Fun fact boomer 34 of the 45 us presidents have scottish ancestory

[@generaladvance5812]

14:01 I would have done the same. You don't want to go down in history as that man that was present for a national humiliation. I'll take the portrait of me on a massive steed with a nice red tunic & sabre looking epic thanks all the same.

[@trytellingthetruth.2068]

To fight a war costs a lot of money and the 7 year war was no different. If it was left up to the colonists to fight on their own, they would have been beaten, and you'd all be speaking French now. There's no such thing as a free lunch or a free war and someone had to pay .

[@sonofednawelthorpe8609]

You really need to see Carl Benjamins piece on Slavery. Its not what you’ll have been taught in school. It’s on here and you can find it with - Sargon Slavery.

[@genwilbolandres980]

Hi King Boomer I recommend the Dutch East Indian Company