Was the United Kingdom a powerful nation in 1939?
This is a fair question; but it’s deuced difficult to answer. Was the UK a major power in 1939? The answer is yes, it was. It still had the largest navy in the world. It could call on millions of men at home and abroad to fill its forces; and it still had great wealth at home and abroad. But you’re right. The empire was in its final years. The cost of empire was enormous, and the resources were stretched thin. Moreover the depression put a damper of not only on the economy, but also on the development of its military muscle. In comparative terms, the military of the UK is a lot stronger now if for no other reason, the UK has more modern weapons and a nuclear arsenal. But in comparative terms with nations like the USA and Russia (or perhaps even China) the UK is very weak today. But in 1939, the Forces of the UK were larger and stronger than any other forces in Europe except for Germany; and they one of the strongest in the entire world. So you can actually answer this any way you want
