Relations with Stalin Flashcards
Stalin: intro
Churchill hated communism. As Secretary of State for War, Churchill had sent British forces to fight against Lenin’s regime in the Russian Civil War (1918-21).
Stalin, leader since 1924, naturally disliked Churchill (and West), believing with reason, one of the reasons Hitler had rose to power was because British politicians saw Germany as a counterweight to Soviet threat.
Nazi Soviet Pact - Operation Barbarossa
23rd August, to surprise of much of the world, Germany and SU announced Nazi-Soviet pact. Stated that neither country would attack each other, and secretly noted Poland divided between 2 pwers.
Marriage of convenience allowed Hitler to secure east to focus on western campaign, still one of Hitler’s principal foreign policy aims remained to destroy communism.
22nd June 1941 Operation Barbarossa:
Churchill offers support
Despite bitterly resenting communism and Soviet support that enabled Hitler to bypass British blockade, Churchill broadcast on evening of invasion that ‘any man or state who fights against Nazism will have our aid’… and that ‘we shall give whatever help we can to Russia’… HE, he also that ‘if Hitler invaded Hell, I would at least make a favourable reference to the devil’.
Stalin made 2 demands:
1) Military supplies wanting everything Britain and America could send… In 1941 Britain was short of these and Lend-Lease was still in its early stages. But Churchill worked hard to provide what he could, fearing Russia may capitulate German victory in the east – which until the battle of Stalingrad in late 1942 and early 1943, seemed like a probable outcome – would have created a nightmare scenario. Hitler would have had access to the oil of the Caucuses, the raw materials of Ukraine, and a land route to India. He would also have been able to turn the full might of his army to an invasion of Britain.
2) Second Front Demanded as early as July 1941… called off cards twice in 1942 and 1943 until June 1944. Campaigns in Italy and North Africa and bombing did not impress.
Poland
Poland was a key disagreement between Churchill and Stalin had been what Britain had gone to war over. Stalin wanted Russia’s post-war boundary to lie further west. Churchill was reluctant to agree and generally tried to evade question.
By Tehran conference could no longer be avoided… Curzon line agreed as Russian border. First proposed by Lord Curzon, British foreign secretary, in 1919…. To compensate for loss of territory, Poland’s western border moved into Germany. HE This ‘Great Powers diplomacy’ whilst quick and efficient was at odds with the 1941 Atlantic Charter and the promise of a free post-war world.
Other question was about Polish government. Churchill could stomach border changes but not governance. Stalin’s attitude towards Poland and its people was revealed in:
- Katyn Massacre – in April 13 of 1943, Germans unearthed 22,000 (officially) graves of murdered Polish officers and dignitaries at Katyn. Alleged killing had been carried out on Stalin’s orders in early years of war. When London Poles publicised the massacre (against Churchill’s advice), Stalin broke off relations with them and began to organise a new provisional government in Lubin Poland.
- Warsaw Uprising – In August - October 1944, the Polish ‘Home Army’, loyal to the London Poles, fought to liberate Warsaw before the Red Army arrived. In view of Churchill and the West, only needed minor assistance from Russians to deliver victory. Stalin refused. Germans regrouped and defeated forces and then killed 150,000-200,000 Polish civilians in retribution.
Yalta conference in February 1945, Poland was subject of 7/8 plenary meetings. Big Three finally settled on the Declaration of Liberated Europe… Reaffirmed promise of ‘free elections’ in all liberated countries. Although definitions of ‘free’ differed. Stalin would not tolerate a government in Warsaw that was ‘unfriendly’ to his interests. Here too, Curzon line accepted. HE by 1945 Red Army had 6 million soldiers in eastern Europe… Britain and America could do little to effectively challenge their demands.
Personal relationship
Lack of trust Churchill hatred for Communism, Stalin belief that Churchill was delaying SU so Germany and Russia would weaken each other.
Two men first met in August 1942 in Moscow… Clementine - visiting the ‘Ogre in his den’ Churchill carrying news that Second Front could not be opened that year suggested it was ‘like carrying a large lump of ice to the North Pole’.
Second day Stalin sought to provoke Churchill with accusatiosn of cowardice. Churchill tried in vain to explain Anglo-American strategy was to attack ‘the soft underbelly’.
End of Second day, Churchill cabled Roosevelt and War Cabinet to say he had a ‘most unpleasant discussion’ and that Stalin had said ‘a great many insulting things’. On returning to State Villa, Churchill called Stalin ‘a terrible man… evil and dreadful’.
HE, over the course of the talks, managed to find understanding as both needed each others Russia supplies, Britain distraction.
Early next morning after final day of talks, Churchill called Stalin ‘that great man’.
HE, Stalin did not feel same way telling Maisky that ‘all of us in Moscow’ believe ‘that Churchill is aiming at the defeat of the USSR’.
Churchill did not discober Stalin’s true opinion during war as after June 1941, he directed Britain’s intelligence services to discontinue their spying on Britain’s new ally.
Even on 5th June 1944, day before Operation Overlord, stating that ‘Churchill is the kind of man who will pick your pocket of a kopeck’.
Churchill’s late war fears was that Americans were not sufficiently serious about containing threat of Red Army and communist Europe.
Despite Churchill’s fears, end of war with Red Army in Eastern Europe, nothing he could do to prevent many Eastern territories being taken by Soviets.
Percentages agreement
In October 1944 – ‘Naughty document’ (Churchill), not in British record. About level of influence in Balkans post war. Stalin read it and ticked it.
