Assess the reasons why Stalin was in dispute with his wartime allies from 1941-45
Assess the reasons why Stalin was in dispute with his wartime Allies from 1941 to 1945.
The Grand Alliance, also known as the Anti-Hitler Coalition, had one main aim-to defeat Hitler. When the completion of this goal was imminent, the wartime Allies were beginning to discuss the post war settlements, on which they had difficulties agreeing. There are many debates as to why these disputes arose, such as whether it was Stalin being too aggressive, or the USA being too selfish, or just the product of misunderstandings and ideological differences.
The first view that Stalin was aggressive and expansionist, and his untrustworthiness was the main reason the wartime Alliance experienced disputes, has plenty of evidence to support it. One of the issues that arose during the post war settlements was Poland. At Yalta, the Allies had agreed on free elections in Poland, but Stalin failed to make these promises a reality. Orthodox historians would argue that this was because Stalin wanted Poland to have a pro-Soviet government, and therefore did want any aspects of a democracy introduced there. This view would be supported by the fact that in 1945 and 1946, pro-Soviet communist governments were set up in both Romania and Bulgaria and any opposition was strongly suppressed, and the establishment of the Lublin Committee in Poland in 1944. The basis of this argument is Stalin’s aggression, and this can be seen when looking at the Warsaw Rising, and the Soviet actions towards Poland. The Poles attempts to liberate themselves from the Nazi’s in 1944 were hindered deliberately by the lack of help offered from the Soviet Army, who’d halted their advance into Poland just outside Warsaw when they were informed of the uprising. Also in 1939, 10000 Polish officers were found murdered in Katyin Forest in Russia, supposedly by Soviet troops. This would suggest to orthodox historians that Stalin was a heartless dictator only wishing to gain for himself and his country, and not worrying about harming any other countries in the process. His aggression can also be seen in the Soviet Show Trials, during which an estimated 18 million Soviet citizens were taken to labour camps on accusations of betrayal, and around 500,000 party members were arrested or executed. Stalin’s heartless execution of his own men suggests to most orthodox historians that he was untrustworthy, and therefore it is hardly surprising that the Allies experienced some disputes between 1941 and 1945.
