The Grand Alliance

• The Grand Alliance was formed to defeat Germany and Japan in World War 2. It consisted of the USA, the Soviet Union and Britain.

  Formed in June 1941, after 4 million Germans invaded the Soviet Union (despite a non-aggression pact between Germany and the Soviet Union)

  USA and Britain still suspicious of communism and Stalin knew the west would not help strengthen the Soviet Union.
• The President of America at the time of the Grand Alliance was Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was in charge between the years 1933-1945.


  Interested in idea of democracy but compromised and formed an alliance with Stalin. After Japan bombed pearl harbour, Roosevelt wanted Soviet support against Japan.
• Roosevelt's desire for Soviet support explains why he was not always as tough in negotiations with Stalin, as Churchill would have liked.

  • He believed any long-term settlement would only be possible if the Soviet Union was accepted as superpower and partner in peace.
• Winston Churchill was the Prime minister in the United Kingdom at the time of the Grand alliance. He was Prime minister twice, between the years 1940-45, and again 1951-55.


  He was a conservative, with traditional values, believing strongly in the British empire rather than the idea that colonies should be allowed freedom to rule themselves like Roosevelt.

  His political attitudes made him deeply suspicious of Stalin.
• Josef Stalin was the leader of the Soviet Union from 1929 until 1953 (when he died). 


  Stalin strengthened the one-party rule in the SU and cut back on people's individual rights.

  He was convinced that the west wanted to destroy communism.
• Stalin believed it important to keep Germany weak and set up and area of pre-Soviet countries as a buffer zone between Germany and the Soviet Union.