deconstructing WWII - capitalism Vs Communism

[locutusofliverpool]

I think that from the Allies prespective the war was fundamentally about keeping German hegemony in check. Soviet Communism was a random element, another potential threat alongside facism that emerged. But as long as their interests converged it would become an Alliance of convienence.

 

However that didnt prevent mutual distrust and suspicion from formenting. Stalin pleaded with the Allies to open a second front against Hitler. The Allies however took their sweet time doing so, even to the point of postponing D-Day. You could say that was part of a cynical ploy to get the Russians and Germans to slaughter each other to such a degree that they would be weakened. Afterall it was the Russians who bore the brunt of the German armed forces, suffering more casualties and economic losses than the Western Allies.

 

Also Stalin wanted to capture Berlin first coz he knew well hand if he got to Berlin first his position at the bargaining table would be greatly strentghened and he would be able to secure his grip on Eastern Europe. If the Allies could have gotten to Berlin first then their negotiating position would have been stronger and would have been able to limit Russian gains and advances.

 

Lets not forget that the Western Allies have had a long traditional hostilty against the Soviet Union dating back to 1917 when they intervened in the Russian civil war against the Bolsheviks while the First World War was still going on. So the West could not afford to let the Russians too much influence in the peace negotiations, otherwise they could dictate terms and make gains at the expense of the West, which could have led to the capitalist system being undermined. Something that had been opposed to since 1917.

 

I think from the Russian perspective, their conflict with Nazi Germany and later on with the Western Allies was about security as they had an inherent distrust of the Capitalist nations and also because in the early years of the Soviet Union it was invaded by Poland and Ukraine. During the inter war period it was an isloated state sharing borders with potentially hostile neighbours. Therefore security was their top agenda both during and after the war. They were wary that the Allies could use captialism to undermine Soviet system, especially when much of her economic infrastructure had been ruined. Therefore they needed to secure their spehre of influence in Eastern Europe in order to aid in the reconstruction of their country. Plus they needed friendly regimes near their borders.

Edited March 24, 2006 by locutusofliverpool

[Molby]

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