Book Reviews

Much has been written about the turbulent relationship between the Soviet Union and the United States yet for a brief time during the period of World War II, there was a necessary sudden alliance among the Soviet Union, Britain, and the United States.This alliance was in response to Germany's surprise invasion of the Soviet Union's cities. Stalin may have been able to boast that his country's Red Army was a mighty force, yet nothing could prepare him and his country for the might of the Nazi forces that were steamrolling into Russia.Stalin was so beside himself that he disappeared from site for a few days leaving his government officials to handle the escalating situation.Stalin all along had been reassuring his government and people that Hitler would never attack the Soviet Union as he had wrongly believed that Germany was a true ally of the Russian people.What is crucial in this period of the war was the decision by Britain and the United States (namely Churchill and Roosevelt) to join forces with Stalin to defeat Hitler and the Nazi invasion.While Stalin was considered to be one brand of evil, for Churchill especially he saw that Hitler was the greater of the two evils and if the Soviet Union were to fall it would mean dire consequences for the rest of the world.Milton delves into the particulars of the conversations that took place to bring about the plan for both Britain and the United States to bring about military support for the Soviet Union.One of the main players in bringing about this alliance over the span of a four-year period was Averell Harriman who was a wealthy chairperson of the Union Pacific railroad as well as an investor in banking and shipping (p.18).Averell's acumen in diplomatic relations brought about meetings among Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin as well as mission planning for food and supplies to be transported into the Soviet Union.Great Britain also provided a diplomatic expert who became the ambassador to the Soviet Union and part of the four-year alliance mission, Archie Clark Kerr.Milton describes in vivid detail the meetings that both Averell and Archie had with the three leaders, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin.Meetings that included many tense moments as well as some successful actionable outcomes.Milton's conclusions about this alliance of three was it worked for what was necessary to ensure Hitler was defeated yet pointed to the sobering reality that as Churchill proclaimed the world in 1946, "Stalin can no longer be trusted."(p.273).Once World War II was over, the Soviet Union would continue to be at odds with the West as the Cold War only deepened in the 1950's.Milton did follow through on the aftermath for both Harriman and Kerr as how their careers were impacted after the alliance of three ended."The Stalin Affair," does successfully add a different historical perspective for the alliance that did ensure an end to Hitler's power.