alliances (WW2)

• How did Allies benefit from an alliance with the USA?

  Lend-Lease Act 1941 secured them $50 billion loan, more resources and men etc. The supplies dispersed under the Lend-Lease Act ranged from tanks, aircraft, ships, weapons and road building supplies to clothing, chemicals and food. Without this vital funding the Allies would have struggled to meet the demands of total war.
• A number of events before the end of 1941- Frances defeat in 1940, the German invasion of the Soviet Union 1941 and Japans attack on Pearl Harbour 1941- led to what?

  The formation of the GRAND ALLIANCE. This was Britain, USA and USSR
• What did Churchill recognise?

  He realised in the build up to WW2 he'd need a strong alliance to defeat Germany
• How did the Allies benefit from their alliance with the USA?

  The Allies benefitted greatly from their alliance with

  the USA during WW2. This can be evidenced through the military support in terms of personnel (over 16 million men) but perhaps most greatly through the USA’s incredible industrial and economic capacity
• Why were alliances more important in the 20th century?

  The advent of total war meant alliances needed to meet its demands- the nature of warfare had changed
• How did Germany benefit from the Nazi-Soviet Pact 1939?

  They received over 900,000 tons of oil from the USSR- something they were short of and necessary for their Blitzkrieg attacks. Joint invasion of Poland and avoided a 2 front war so they could focus on defeating France
• How did weak allies have a negative impact on German war effort?

  Italy and economic and military weaknesses- troops and to be sent to areas such as North Africa, Greece and Yugoslavia because Italian troops had lost control- further stretched Germanys resources and delayed the attack on Russia. The weakness of Romanian and Italian troops on the Eastern Front allowed Russia to take advantage. Italian weaknesses in North Africa led to the creation of the Afrika Corps and drew more resources away from Europe. 1943 Italy defect and left Germany with another front to defend
• How did the strength of the Grand Alliance have a positive impact on the Allied war effort?

  Soviets benefitted through aid that came via the Artic route. Around 4 million tons of resources reached them and was essential in allowing them to sustain the war effort throughout 1941-45
• Evidence of effective Allied cooperation?

  D-Day- Russia and Britain forces were built up in Southern Britain during 1944 and the reoccupation of Western Europe under the unified commander Eisenhower