A French Queen called Antoinette, when advised of a shortage of bread for the people replied: ' Let them eat cake.'
An English Lady called Docker, when advised centuries later of a shortage of chrome for her Daimler replied: ' Dip it in gold.'
In both cases the people rose to the occasion. British ingenuity proved not only equal to that but to other more important tasks. Industry was riding high. In 1952 we were the world's biggest exporters of cars. We exploded our first H-bomb. We were building our first nuclear reactor. The Comet, Vul-r can, Hunter and Viscount were testimony to the fact that Britain was gradually climbing out of austerity and reaching for the stars.
Tonight, in the second of four programmes, Julian Pettifer reflects with Sir Monty Finniston , Lord Robens and others on that time of promise, when perhaps all too often from the jaws of victory we plucked defeat.
Film editor TONY KOVACS
Producers MARGARET JAY , BILL JONES Executive producer FRANK SMITH