David,
This is very interesting.
I wonder if the diversion to the Australians was a finger in the dyke attempt to put off the day UK became US Dollar (and in fact gold) bankrupt, which would have been about this time. I think Australia had used up most of its US dollar credits also but still had gold reserves which could be spent for the great cause.
India on the other hand would have been milked for every last dollar and international gold credit by the Home Government and had none to pay GM and Ford.
GM and Ford had no illusions about the credit-worthiness of their customer and it was only good business sense for them to demand cash on delivery.
Roosevelt's Lend Lease saved the day and the rest is history.
I can see why the Canadians were getting uppity with a threat of being sucked into the British financial quicksand.
This probably bores the rest of the MLU mob but I think it is really fascinating.
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