▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Empire ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁French ▁Ang lo ph ob es ▁and ▁Marx ists ; ▁they ▁colored ▁the ▁thoughts ▁of ▁American ▁liber als ▁and ▁isol ation ist ▁critics ▁of ▁colonial ism . ▁In ▁days ▁to ▁come ▁they ▁were ▁to ▁contribute ▁to ▁American ▁dist rust ▁of ▁Western ▁Europe ▁and ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Empire . ▁Hob son ▁helped ▁make ▁the ▁British ▁a verse ▁to ▁the ▁exercise ▁of ▁colonial ▁rule ; ▁he ▁provided ▁ind igen ous ▁national ists ▁in ▁Asia ▁and ▁Africa ▁with ▁the ▁am mun ition ▁to ▁resist ▁rule ▁from ▁Europe . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁ ▁British ▁histor ians ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁have ▁not ▁emphas ized ▁the ▁critical ▁role ▁played ▁by ▁the ▁Empire ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁money , ▁man power ▁and ▁imports ▁of ▁food ▁and ▁raw ▁materials . ▁ ▁The ▁powerful ▁combination ▁meant ▁that ▁Britain ▁did ▁not ▁stand ▁alone ▁against ▁Germany , ▁it ▁stood ▁at ▁the ▁head ▁of ▁a ▁great ▁but ▁f ading ▁emp ire . ▁As ▁Ash ley ▁Jackson ▁has ▁argued ," ▁The ▁story ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Empire ' s ▁war , ▁therefore , ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁Imperial ▁success ▁in ▁contrib uting ▁toward ▁Al lied ▁victory ▁on ▁the ▁one ▁hand , ▁and ▁e greg ious ▁Imperial ▁failure ▁on ▁the ▁other , ▁as ▁Britain ▁strugg led ▁to ▁protect ▁people ▁and ▁defeat ▁them , ▁and ▁failed ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁loyal ty ▁of ▁colonial ▁subjects ." ▁ ▁The ▁contribution ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁soldiers ▁number ed ▁ 2 . 5 ▁million ▁men ▁from ▁India , ▁over ▁ 1 ▁million ▁from ▁Canada , ▁just