AND protected the supply lines from the commonwealth as well as maintain enough strength to discourage Japanese aggression in the Far East?

Against an enemy who was fighting their neighbor?

Frankly, I don't. Every tank, for instance, in Britain would have to get across the Channel and across France before it could go into action. That's a lot of vulnerability.

Looks doubtful, to me. And one has to accept Chamberlain's priorities - Britain first. Not knowing how strong Germany was, getting tangled up on the continent could well have left Britain vulnerable.

It certainly would have meant giving up Burma, for instance.

Arf