Modern warfare was no longer confined to the battlefield; most of the time, the struggles off the field were even more intense.
The war for hegemony began with the United Kingdom on the back foot, but that was merely because their war-fighting mindset had been taken by surprise by the Holy Roman Empire.
In the context of the entire war, it had only been an initial advantage and did not directly determine the final outcome, just as Germany had initially swept across the European Continent in World War II only to end in ignominious retreat.
The only difference was that the Soviet human shield had not yet emerged, and the American nursemaid was still a little girl.
With unhelpful allies, the United Kingdom had to face the test alone. Fortunately, the United Kingdom was at its peak, not in the "setting sun" state it was during World War II.
