It is worth remembering that in Britain and the USA 1939-40 Stalin appeared to be just as much a villain as Hitler. The USSR was still isolated as the world’s only communist country. The turmoil of the Purges and Stalin’s reputation. In August 1939 Soviet leader Stalin signed a Non- Aggression Pact with German leader, Adolf Hitler. In September 1939 Hitler and Stalin both attacked Poland and divided the country up between them. In November 1939 the USSR attacked Finland. In June-July 1940 the USSR invaded and took control of Baltic States of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia.

But in June 1941 everything changed But in June 1941 everything changed. Hitler turned on Stalin and invaded the USSR. The decisive conflict of World War 2 began, which Stalin won, but at a terrible cost. This activity focuses on the relationship between the wartime allies Britain, the USA and the USSR. The sources look at how the allies worked together, and how the allies wanted their own people to see this co-operation. What was the true nature of the wartime alliance between Britain, the USA and the USSR? How strong was the wartime alliance?