From: "Paul F Austin"
Date: 12/26/2003 8:43 AM Central Standard Time
Message-id:


"B2431" wrote
From: Hobo

My point is that the Russians were willing to give Nazi Germany all the
help they asked for. Nothing the Russians did was to help anyone else.
Everything the US did was of no direct benefit to the US and was only
done to help the world. The French and Russians can't say that and the
French can't even say that they fought very hard.

Stalin was buying time. As screwy as he was he knew war was inevitable yet
was
surprised when the invasion started.

If he was buying time, he had an odd way of showing it. The historical
record is clear: he had anyone who said that the Reich was preparing to
invade the USSR recalled and shot. I think that Stalin was barking mad.

Agreed. I never said Stalin was playing with a full deck, but he was aware
there would ultimately be war with Germany. On the other hand he seems to have
genuinely respected and trusted Hitler. The guy was cracked.

Dan, U. S. Air Force, retired