What is the state of Britain and France in the game?

Wiki-Encyclopedia said France and Belgium withdrew from NATO and relatively escaped war damage. Some RPGers state that Britain was nuked after it launched a retaliatory strike against the Soviet Union's First Strike.

My question is: Are the British troops on England fighting, or fighting aboard in Europe?

Thanks in advance.

If I remember correctly from earlier years, Brittain was (is?) fighting on it's own soil against hostile and plundering invaders (sort like second Vikings inavsions).