"I, at least, have taken the trouble to read up the period.
I suggest you do the same."

Have you Jim? We have only your word for it, and when asked to elaborate on whose work you have "read up on" you seem extremely reluctant to provide source, work and author. Not surprised at that really Jim, in the past your sources quoted and taken by you as being the "gospel truth" turned out to be highly speculative and unsubstantiated newspaper articles, in newspapers that if used to argue a case against any point you support are instantly dismissed by you as being biased right wing rags.

Keith A on the other hand has given his sources, works and authors who at least are qualified historians who specialise in the subject and who have been trained to examine events from different perspectives before arriving at their conclusions and reading of events.