The Attack Upon the Soviet Union

Although both Great Britain and the United States warned Stalin that Germany was about to attack the Soviet Union, he choose to ignore the information. When Hitler's armies launched the attack in June 1941, the Soviets were caught by surprise, and suffered heavy casualties.

Even before the German invasion, Churchill told Roosevelt that Great Britain would begin sending military supplies to the Soviets once an attack had occurred. This supply line was to continue throughout the war, keeping the Soviets supplied with items they were unable to manufacture along with extra weapons.

The German invasion of the Soviet Union, and the attack upon Pearl Harbor, forced the world into two camps. From 1941 onwards, Great Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union entered into an alliance to stop Hitler. The alliance was not to be a strong or permanent one, beyond the task of defeating Germany. Stalin did not trust the democracies of the West. He believed they were not doing enough in the fight against the Nazis, while Hitler's forces were destroying his country.

Stalin called upon Great Britain and the United States to help relieve his battered armies. He proposed that they launch a "second front," or the invasion of France from England. That way, Hitler would be faced with a two-front war, and be forced to take military units out of Russia. This was to become a frequent request by Stalin until the Normandy invasion was launched in June 1944.

On 1 January 1942, the USSR joined the United States, Great Britain, China, Free France, and twenty-one other countries in signing the Declaration by United Nations in Washington. This pact pledged each participant to " employ its full resources, military or economic, against the Axis powers and to make no separate armistice or peace with the enemies." This document was designed to bring together the major powers to defeat Hitler and the German forces.

Casablanca Conference

As the tide of battle turned against Hitler, the Allies were able to launch a major invasion of North Africa. The British offensive, driving from Egypt, was able to push the German forces back towards an advancing American invasion force from Morocco. With German forces defeated in North Africa, the need to decide on what to do next became important. Prime Minister Churchill and President Roosevelt met in the newly liberated city of Casablanca, Morocco.

The two men disagreed on the next course of action. Roosevelt wanted to invade France, but Churchill was able to persuade him to invade Italy. Stalin believed that the Western Allies were deliberately delaying a second front while his country did most of the fighting. Therefore, he did not welcome the decision to invade Italy. The earliest the western Allies were able to promise a second front, therefore, was in the year 1944.

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The Teheran Conference

Even thought the big three powers had been allied for two years; all three leaders had never met in person. Most of the work was done through diplomats and envoys. Churchill and Roosevelt met on a number of occasions, and invited Stalin to join with them in a high level conference. Stalin had not left the Soviet Union since the revolution of 1917, and always rejected these offers. In 1943 Stalin was finally convinced to meet with the western allies, but only if the meeting was held close to the Soviet Union. It was decided that the capital of Iran would be used, and the "Big Three" finally met in Tehran in November 1943, to discuss future war strategy.

The main issue was the launching of a second front. Churchill and Roosevelt promised that efforts would be made to invade Western Europe the following year. Stalin promised to launch a major offensive in the East to make sure the German Army was tied down, and unable to move against British and American efforts. Stalin also agreed to declare war upon Japan once the war with Germany was over.

The Potsdam Conference

The second front was opened 6 June 1944 with the Normandy invasion. Germany was now caught between two powerful forces fro the West and the East. The surrender of Germany occurred in May of 1945. A final meeting of the Big Three was held to discuss the problem of what to do with Germany now that it was defeated, as well as preparing for the defeat of Japan
Two new faces greeted Stalin at this meeting. Prime Minister Clement Atlee, who surprised the world by defeating Winston Churchill in the 1945 election, represented Great Britain. The United States had suffered the death of President Roosevelt in April 1945. His replacement was Harry Truman, who took the oath of office the day of Roosevelt's death.
The main points of discussion at Potsdam revolved around the future of the German nation. It was agreed that the country would be divided into four regions, controlled by the Soviet Union, Great Britain, the United States and France. The city of Berlin was located well inside of the Soviet sector, but would also be divided up among the four victors. It was agreed that free elections were to be held in all lands liberated from the Germans in order to create a stable future for Europe.