Practices of WW2: Effect of Foreign Influence

Alliance between powers to defeat the Axis, success was dependent on the cooperation of Britain, The USSR, USA

Destroyers-for-bases agreement 1940

Allied success, USA supported Britain before officially entering the war. The US traded 50 aging Navy destroyers (Warships) to Great Britain in exchange for 99-year leases to build and operate naval and air bases in British territories across the Atlantic and Caribbean.

Lend-Lease Act March 1941

US policy the allowed President Roosevelt to provide military equipment like food and oil to the allied nations without requiring immediate payment.

Operation Barbarossa June 1941

The USSR entered the war with Germany after Hitler broke the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact. It was an initial Axis success, but strengthened the Eastern front with the USSR being a new fighting force.

Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour December 1941

The US officially joined the war, which meant ally access to huge American industrial and military power.

Tehran Conference 1943

The big 3 coordinated strategies and agreed to open a second front in Europe to fight against Germany. Forcing Germany to surrender, not being able to fight a two front war.

Operation D-Day June 1944

Allied cooperation on the Western front forced Germany to fight both east and west.

Point

The destroyer of bases and lend lease act US aid helped Britain survive after the fall of France and helped the USSR continue to fight after their failure at operation Barbarossa. After Pearl Harbor and Tehran, D-day happened and forced Germany to fight on 2 fronts leading to its defeat. Ally cooperation was crucial in changing the balance of the war, but would not have been effective without the human and economic mobilisation specifically within the USSR, and without tactical applications of technological advancements.