There was a firm belief that without the assistance of Britain and the United States, the Soviet Union would be completely subjugated by Germany. It is also argued that the victory of the USSR depended mainly on its own strength, and that Anglo-American assistance played only a marginal role. So, which argument is more tenable?
When the Soviet-German war broke out, Britain and the United States began to provide support and assistance to the Soviet Union, with only one purpose: to hope that the Soviet Union would defeat Germany. At this time, one cannot help but ask: why did Britain and the United States help the Soviet Union? You know, before the outbreak of World War II, they had a very close relationship with Germany. Isn't it in their interest that they even want to weaken the Soviets and Germans by the hand of Germany? However, this is not the case.
The reason behind this is that Germany had already shown great strength before World War II, annexing most of Europe, which turned the world pattern upside down. For Britain and the United States, the overpower of either side can threaten their interests. Originally, they tried to use Germany to counterbalance the Soviet Union and maintain the balance of the world in order to protect their vested interests. However, Germany's rapid growth has exceeded their expectations. In just over two years, Germany has broken the world order and hegemony established by Britain and the United States.
Faced with such a situation, Britain and the United States had to reconsider their strategy. They chose to form an alliance with the relatively weak Soviet Union against Germany. Britain's thinking was simple: as long as Germany remained trapped in the Soviet theater, it would be impossible for Germany to attack Britain. Therefore, when the war situation was not in favor of the Soviet Union, Britain was more active in providing support and assistance to ensure that the Soviet Union was able to contain Germany.
So, why did the United States, which was far across the ocean, support the Soviet Union? The reason lies in the situation at the time. Japan dominates the Far East and approaches the Pacific, while Germany dominates Western Europe and penetrates deep into the Atlantic. The threat of war is looming in the Western Hemisphere, seriously threatening the security and vital interests of the United States. The United States could not sit idly by, and by the time Germany defeated the Soviet Union and annexed all of Europe, the United States would face an even greater threat.
Therefore, both Britain and the United States considered it necessary to give support and assistance to the Soviet Union. They understood that only in this way could Germany's expansionist ambitions be effectively curbed, their own interests and world peace safeguarded. In this process, the Soviet Union also demonstrated its strong war potential and indomitable fighting spirit, and made great contributions to the victory of the world anti-fascist war.
After more than ten days of fierce fighting between the Soviet Union and Germany, Britain and the Soviet Union concluded a pact of mutual defense, pledging to fight side by side and support each other in the battle against Germany. Subsequently, the two sides further signed a loan agreement, which stipulated that Britain would provide a loan of 10 million pounds to the Soviet Union. At the same time, the United States also acted quickly, ordering the shipment of large quantities of supplies to the Soviet Union, and lifting the previous freeze on the Soviet Union's $40 million in funds in the United States, allowing the Soviet Union to use the funds to purchase the strategic materials needed in the United States. The United States** also made it clear that it would provide all necessary economic assistance to the Soviet Union. In addition, the United States sent a fleet to the USSR.
When the Battle of Moscow broke out, after three months of war, although the German army suffered a certain degree of **, the Soviet army still faced an extremely serious situation. Although the Soviets had some victories in some battles, reversing the passive situation, the Soviets were in dire need of external assistance due to heavy losses, a severe shortage of war supplies, and a severe shortage of war supplies. The leaders of Britain and the United States were well aware of this and decided to give full support to the Soviet Union.
To this end, representatives of the Soviet Union, the United States, and Britain convened an emergency meeting in Moscow, the capital of the Soviet Union. The main purpose of the meeting was to discuss the issue of the supply of equipment and strategic materials by Britain and the United States to the Soviet Union. After negotiations, the first protocol between the Soviet Union and the United States and Britain was signed on October 1, which stipulated that from October 1, 1941 to June 30, 1942, during these nine months, Britain and the United States would provide the Soviet Union with 400 aircraft, 500 tanks, and various other military supplies every month. Correspondingly, the USSR supplied raw materials and goods to Britain and the United States.
On October 30, the United States again extended a helping hand to the Soviet Union, announcing a $1 billion interest-free loan. This undoubtedly injected new vitality into the economy of the Soviet Union. However, the story doesn't end there. On November 7, when the Soviet Union held a National Day military parade in the snow to celebrate the victory of the October Revolution, the United States on the other side of the ocean once again brought good news. This time, the United States included the Soviet Union in the scope of Lend-Lease, which meant that the Soviet Union would receive more aid and support. This was not only an affirmation of the Soviet Union, but also a strong support for the victory of the anti-fascist war.
By the end of 1941, the United States had provided the Soviet Union with 204 aircraft and 182 tanks, and Britain had provided the Soviet Union with 669 aircraft, 487 tanks, and 301 anti-tank guns, but much less than the previous regulations. In addition, Britain and the United States also gave the Soviet Union enough ** line to circle the earth 27 times, a total of 1890,000 Battlefields**. While the Soviet Union, the United States, and Britain continued to strengthen ideological, military, and economic cooperation, three countries accelerated the pace of collusion. Do you know which three countries they are?