Rag,
Before you go on a rant Teribums try to think how the majority of people benefitted from the war. The 20's and 30's saw mass unemployment, means testing, poor housing, poor living conditions, low wages etc etc.

Yes, the nation was impoverished, and WW2 made things worse.
In the lands occupied by the German armies during WW1 and WW2, civilians were taken away as slave labourers. Many people would say that is worse than austerity and grateful that they did not widen their empire any further.

You will find no expression of regret for making a stand from the people who lived through the 20s and 30s despite the cost.