REPLYING to John Norwood (Thursday, April 28) Britain was the greatest power in the world in 1914.

However, at the end of the Second World War in 1945, there were two superpowers, USA and the Soviet Union.

During the period 1958-1968, France was resurgent with the return to power of Charles de Gaulle. A struggle took place between USA and France for control of Germany and France won.

De Gaulle died in 1970. In the 1970s France and America struggled again, this time for the control of Britain. America won that hands down.

In 1990 the USSR collapsed. America was the world's only superpower. In 2003, at the behest of Israel, and in defiance of France, Russia and China, America declared an illegal war on Iraq, dragging Britain into the hostilities. America, having rescued us in 1917 and 1941, now tells us when to go to war.

Now do you understand why we should be in awe of America, not French-dominated EU, Mr Norwood?

D E MARGRETT,

Worcester.