Trump teaches us a history lesson

THIS is where wishful thinking gets you.

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Troops on standby over Greenland, inset, Trump

Sooner or later, standing under the cold shower of reality, Britain's wishful thinking about its own defence goes back 80 years or more.Ever since America came to Europe's rescue - foot-draggingly reluctantly, it must be said - in the war against Hitler. In 1941, Churchill wrote in his diary that he'd had his first decent night's sleep since 1939, after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.

Hitler suicidally declared war against America the following day, and Washington was suddenly off the fence of neutrality and in the thick of it with us. Which is why, from that moment, victory was assured. And Winston knew it.