TED Reidler (Not so safe, EU Letters April 8) cannot be allowed to get away with trying to rewrite the history of the thirties.

Britain did indeed turn its back on Europe.

In particular, always remember the fate of the democratically elected republican government in Spain.

The so called great democracies of Britain, France, and America, demanded a “non-Intervention treaty”, which meant that the Spanish government was not allowed to buy arms on the world market.

Despite Nazi Germany and fascist Italy also being signatories they poured men, arms, and equipment into Spain, to support Franco, and turned a victory for democracy into one for fascism.

The magnificent International Brigades, who went from all over the world to fight fascism in Spain, warned that if Hitler and Mussolini were not stopped there it would lead to a world conflict - and how right they were.

The evidence of Hitler’s involvement was there for all to see, such as the bombing of Guernica by the Condor Legion, who were honing their skills in preparation for similar treatment to Southampton and Portsmouth.

Unfortunately the likes of Chamberlain, his Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax, King Edward the Eighth, and much of the British establishment did not have much of a problem with Hitler at that time, with Churchill something of a lone voice.

After all Hitler was merely giving a bad time to Socialists, Jews, Communists and Trade Unionists, for whom the British ruling class had no time for anyway, and his rearmament was good for their businesses.

At best Chamberlain himself was a fool.

The betrayal, firstly of Spain and then of Czechoslovakia, led Hitler to believe that there were almost no circumstances where Britain would bother to intervene in Europe.

His Government's failure to stem the tide of fascism led to the death of millions, and the sad fact is that the little Englanders are once again coming out of the woodwork to urge the building of fences and barriers around the UK and across Europe, and fostering the petty nationalism and bigotry that encouraged fascism's rise the last time around.

The EU is far from perfect but while it exists, and we are in it, we have the opportunity to build the necessary class unity, solidarity, and internationalism, to successfully take on the multi-nationals and vested interests and prevent any future war.

Alan Lloyd

Southampton