IT is patently obvious that Messrs L Spiteri and D G Griffin have little or no knowledge about the efforts of the United States armed forces in the two major European wars of the 20th Century.

While America's entry into the First World War was certainly late, it was patently for ideological causes and there's no other attributable reason.

In fact, once their army was trained and in the field, the war rapidly came to an end. It was the influx of American men and supplies which persuaded the Germans that they could not hope for the stalemate they were, by that time,seeking.

Without the Americans, the war would have ended in that stalemate, with the Germans occupying much of Belgium and northern France, thus achieving the territorial conquest that saw them start the war in the first place.

Mr Thake is absolutely correct to say that the USA could have stayed out of the Second World War in Europe. It's actually an unlikely scenario, since they were supplying us with large quantities of war supplies and food even though technically neutral.

The prime reason for their participation in Europe was a dislike, even fear, of a totalitarianism regime, be it fascist or communist.

One can only speculate what would have happened without the Yanks. I know of no serious military historian who believes the the British and Empire forces alone would have defeated Germany in the west, although they would still have been rolled back by the Soviet Union in the east, albeit over a longer period.

It's unlikely Russia would have sought to conquer the whole of Europe, and a truce with Germany could well have seen Britain occupied.

The forces of the United States of America have some 30 very large war cemeteries in Western Europe including two in England.

Let no one doubt that country spilled its citizens' blood freely in our fight for freedom. Without the Yanks, I doubt Messrs Spiteri and Griffin would be free to continue their ludicrous, spiteful invective against them.

BARRIE DOBSON,

Worcester