At school in the UK I learnt that 1 000 000 000 = one thousand million and that 1 000 000 000 000 =
 

one billion. Now I live in Germany 1 000 000 000 = Eine Milliarde and 1 000 000 000 000 = Eine Billionen.

I take it that in the rest of Europe a billion also has twelve zeros. I have two questions then:

1) How did it come about that in the USA the billion is devalued to nine zeros / British thousand million / German Milliarde etc.

2) Why oh why does the Bastion of British culture overseas, the BBC, now also use the American billion in their internet and world services?

Any ideas?

...because Americans can't read 12 zeros...

we get to a billion faster! ;-)