Скачать или смотреть How The U.S. Bankrupted The British Empire - The Secret Bill for WWII

History tells us Britain won World War II.
Financial reality tells a very different story.

When the war ended in 1945, Britain was victorious on the battlefield — and completely broke on paper. Its empire survived the bombs, but not the balance sheet. What followed was a quiet economic collapse that officially ended only in 2006, when the British government sent one final payment to the United States.

That transfer closed the books on the Anglo-American Loan — a massive bailout negotiated under desperation, not partnership.

The so-called “Special Relationship” came with conditions. When the U.S. abruptly shut down Lend-Lease, Britain was forced to accept a loan instead of a grant. In exchange, it had to open its markets, make the Pound convertible to dollars, and surrender financial control it had held for over a century.

This single deal triggered the famous dollar gap, drained Britain’s reserves, and pushed the country into decades of austerity. The war didn’t destroy the British Empire — the debt did.

In this video, we break down:

Why Britain was effectively insolvent in 1945, with debt exceeding 200% of GDP

The long road to 2006 — and why it took over 60 years to repay WWII loans

John Maynard Keynes’ failed attempt to secure free aid instead of a loan

How forced currency rules crushed the Pound Sterling

Why this debt accelerated the sale of empire assets and handed global financial power to the U.S. dollar

This is not a story of tanks and trenches.
It’s a story of leverage, loans, and how war winners can still lose everything.

⚠️ Disclaimer:
This video contains AI-generated content and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It presents a historical and economic analysis and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Past performance of empires is not indicative of future results.