I WOULD like to reply to the anonymous correspondent in The Citizen (July 19) regarding the reason why we fought in two world wars. Neither was to prevent this country being "governed by Europe" as he/she seems to imagine.

Despite the Eurosceptic obsession that everything European revolves around a plot against Britain, actually the key issue in 1914 and 1939 was to contain German power. "Europe" did not even exist in a political sense until the Treaty of Rome established the Common Market in 1957.

In the First World War the nation states of Europe, having divided into two hostile alliances, were fighting to define the balance of power in Europe.

As one of the combatants, Britain had both enemies and allies on mainland Europe. Who governed Britain was never an issue.

In the Second World War, Britain did indeed face a hostile power bloc in the form of the Third Reich, but it was one which was created by force against the will of the majority of European people. No-one at the time considered that they were fighting against "Europe" but against Nazi Germany. This was also the attitude of the reluctant subjects of the Third Reich in Holland, France, Belgium etc who welcomed our troops as liberators.

As the writer quite correctly says, some of those who fought in the war are still alive. It might be worth remembering that their numbers include many from continental Europe who fought on the Allied side during the Second World War,either in the British forces or as part of European resistance movements whilst their homes were under German occupation.

Does the writer think they deserve to have history rewritten in a way that turns them into Britain's enemies just because it suits the Eurosceptic cause? He or she should be ashamed.

Mary Wilson, address supplied.