Churchill And Stalin Flashcards
(12 cards)
How did Churchill view communism ?
- Churchill had no sympathy for communism and had been an outspoken critic of the revolution of 1917
- He sent forces to fight against Lenin in Russia
- He often expressed this opposition in his writing
How did Churchill manage his anti communist view in the war ?
What is a famous qoute
He put aside his ideology and famously said if ‘ Hitler invaded Hell I would at least make a favourable reference to the Devil in the House of Commons’
Why did Churchill have to do business with Russia ?
The soviet commitment in the winter of 1941-42 was a great turning point and showed Russia as part of the big three
What was Churchill determined to do ?
Not allowed the heavy losses at Leningrad and Stalingrad to cause a premature invasion of Northern Europe
What happened at Churchills meeting in Moscow in 1942?
Disagreements about opening up a second front
What happened by 1943 in terms of the big three ?
US now favoured the USSR due to their war effort over the British
How did Churchill manage worries about Russian expansion ?
Victorian style ‘spheres of influence’
Percentage agreements divided up Eastern Europe and challenged Britain’s position as a fighter for freedom
How did Stalin see the percentage deals ?
He respected them
He did not aid Greek communist in the civil war where Britain supported the royalists
What did Churchill have to accept at Yalta in 1945 ?
Poland would loose eastern territories to Russia and would be dominated by a pro Russian government
Had to accept this loss of territory and independence much like Chamberlain and Czechoslovakia
How do many see the Russian demands for the opening of a second front ?
More of a bargaining tool than an actual grievance especially after the German defeat at Stalingrad in Feb 1943
How did WSC and Stalin get along ?
At times well, shared a capacity for drinking as well as unwavering supper for their own respective countries
Both wanted to maintain their empires and had limited sympathy for the people they ruled
Why was their relationship less problematic ?
British and Russian forces where not fighting alongside each other
Russia soldiers did not flood into Britain like American troops did
