[bongodriver]

You just don't get what I mean

I guess so, and the same can be said for you it seems.

a "change of plans" doesn't mean "losing a battle".

If that change of plan is forced on you through failure of the initial objective it is.

what is it that is not quite clear, the concept of empire mentality?

Perhaps, for the most part I barely notice the existence of an empire, I am not aware of any significant change that would happen to life in the UK without the comonwealth countries headed by the UK monarchy, to us the are and will always be Australians, Canadians, New Zealanders, even if the uk had the means to enforce it I seriously doubt it would ever bother maintaining an empire.

yes, but it's this dwelling over and over on the glories of the past that is a bit silly, and, as pointed by Bewolf's article, shows the insecurity of this society.
Besides, don't you think for a minute that the continuous celebration of the "victory" on the Battle of Britain could be somehow perceived as passive-aggressive by the Germans of today? And I'm not talking about the remembering of the pilots or victims, I'm talking about all the Battle of Britain low quality jibber jabber, with that air of arrogance and presumption as if it was fought yesterday?

nobody seems to begrudge the Americans any of this.......so why is it so offensive that the British want to honour the achievents of our armed forces? it's not a celebration of killing Germans, it is a reminder of what we stood against, if the Germans cant differentiate between a nazi and a German then what hope is there?
The arrogance you percieve is a myth, it suits your mentality.