Srila Prabhupada explains a little bit about the history of World War Two and how the British Empire has been finished.
Prabhupada: Yes. And the government gives them all facilities because they are dear patriots, laying down their life. During war everything is controlled, but they are supplied with immense... One store is destroyed; another one store is ready. Those who have gone to the warfield, they are... Because they have got that store of food and everything, sufficient, whatever they like, want. Now, in one point they have to go away. So how they can take the store? So from one point to another point there is another store. This store is blown, that enemy may not take advantage of it. This is going on, hundreds and thousands of worth of goods -- blown, cut. Because they are going to another point, and the enemies will take advantage of the store, therefore they have blown it. Therefore in war there is store scarcity. And that Sadananda, you know that, my German Godbrother? So he was lean and thin, tall. So I was asking him that "I have heard that the Germans are very stout and strong, so why you are so lean and thin?" So he gave me..., gave me condition that in the first war he was a child. So there was so much control, only weekly he could get a little butter. He showed a, this spot, like that. "Because we were children, we were supplied little butter, weekly this much. There was no nourishment. And we had to eat anything nonsense." Germans, they were given much tribulation, all sides. Still, they fought the French. All sides, enemies. But still, the Germans are well-to-do. I have seen. In other countries they are well-to-do.
Tamala Krsna: They are very respected. German mark is.
Prabhupada: No, their position, economic position, is also better than France, England. I have seen it. Even in the villages they are well-to-do. They have recouped all they have lost.
Tamala Krsna: Oh, yeah. Belgium, you go through Belgium, it's still devastated. And Germany is completely built up.
Prabhupada: Oh, yes. I think in... For culture, France, and for improvement, economic development, they have done in Germany.
Tamala Krsna: And Britain?
Prabhupada: Britain is... They are shopkeepers. Hitler gave them this title, "Shopkeepers' Nation." That was his determination: "The shopkeepers' nation, I shall turn them again to be shopkeepers, not the empire-holder." That he did. Although he was finished -- Germany was finished on account of this -- but they executed their determination, British empire finished. That they did. After the second war, British...
Tamala Krsna: Finished.
Prabhupada: Now they are poverty-stricken.
Tamala Krsna: Oh, yes.
Prabhupada: So Hitler's grudge against the Englishmen, that is fruitful. Actually he owned the war.
Tamala Krsna: He won. He won the war.
Prabhupada: Because that was his determination: "I shall finish this British nation. Everywhere they have got flag, all over the world, I shall finish." That he did. And Britishers saved because the Americans joined. Otherwise... Churchill, he removed all valuables from London to Canada -- all papers, all gold stock, everything. There is a book about this. Just like when there is danger, you rush to save some valuables. Is it not?
Tamala Krsna: Yeah, that's what you take first.
Prabhupada: Yes. So British Empire, so many things in London, he all removed to Canada.
Morning Talk – April 18, 1977, Bombay
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