One of my relatives is in the Royal Navy and commands nuclear submarines. He has assured me that only two types of boat exist. Submarines and targets.
Since the Soviet Union did not declare war on Japan until 8 August 1945, that is surely somewhat of an exaggeration.
I do feel somewhat critical of the United States approach to Britain during and after WW2. By August 1940, Britain stood alone against Germany and faced defeat, the American Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy reported from London that a British surrender was "inevitable". Churchill warned Roosevelt ominously that if Britain were vanquished, its colonial islands close to American shores could become a direct threat to America if they fell into German hands. The 'Destroyers for Bases' agreement was implemented by September 1940. Britain had no choice but to accept the deal, but it was so much more advantageous to America than Britain that Churchill's aide John Colville compared it to the USSR's relationship with Finland. Suceeded by the 'Lend - Lease' agreement which further indepted Britain to the US and was repaid inpart by export of technologies (Tizzard Mission). James Phinney Baxter III, wrote: "When the members of the Tizard Mission brought the cavity magnetron to America in 1940, they carried the most valuable cargo ever brought to our shores." In 1946, the post-war Anglo-American loan further indebted Britain to the U.S. The global economy suffered heavily from the war, although participating nations were affected differently. The US emerged much richer than any other nation; it had a baby boom and by 1950 its gross domestic product per person was much higher than that of any of the other powers and it dominated the world economy. By contrast, the United Kingdom was in a state of economic ruin, and although it received a quarter of the total Marshall Plan assistance, more than any other European country, it continued relative economic decline for decades.
There are those on here who will claim that you have been reading the wrong history books and are brainwashed by comunist propoganda and that the yanks are paragons of virtue !!!!!!
In fact only one type of boat exists, a Submarine. Submarines are boats, everything else is indeed a target. Ex SSBN04 Port, SSBN01 Starboard.
