Aging Of The British Empire

Empire Needs Men. By 1915, Britain considered itself an aging Empire. Within 100 years after defeating Napoleon. (Artist - Arthur Wardle, 1864-1949 "The Empire Needs Men!" for the British Parliamentary Recruiting Committee, London 1915 (March) Straker Brothers, Ltd., London 29 1/4 x 19 3/4 PRC poster #58. Source and courtesy - collectionscanada.gc.ca). Click for larger image.

From 1765, after the Battle of Buxar, the British faced continuous wars in India. Life threatening for the infant Empire, the British pulled out all stops to expand its Indian possessions. India was the key to world domination. India with the largest manufactory of saltpetre, a huge shipbuilding industry, with the largest gold reserves in the world, the British Empire needed everything that India produced.

Faced with wars in America and in India, Britain chose to let go of their American possessions – which were to become the United States of America. After defeating Tipu Sultan (1799-1800), subduing the Marathas, the British, with Indian gunpowder, and gold from India confronted and defeated Napoleon in 1815. It took 50 years after Buxar for an upstart to become the prime power. 100 years later, as this poster shows, the British saw themselves as an old Empire.

2ndlook at changing Indian fortunes

Rise of the British Empire – A 2ndlook

1945 Britain – Imperial ambitions of a starving nation

How Britain ‘lost’ America. Really!

Indian Ships – British Navy

Indian Gunpowder – the Force Behind Empires

How 1857 changed world history …

Turning points in 20th century history

British Empire & The Anglo Saxon Bloc

Related articles

• ‘British Raj was not a vampire empire’ (quicktake.wordpress.com)
• Jeremy Paxman on the British Empire: where men went to run wild (telegraph.co.uk)
• Getting Tough (behind2ndlook.wordpress.com)