Distrust.
Stalin's allies, Britain and the U.S., couldn't give him
a straight answer on when they would open up a
second front by invading France. They didn't know
themselves. Stalin wasn't buying it. Russia's friends
were content to let the Soviets take the brunt of the war.
Stalin's story. What else would you expect from
the capitalists?
The alliance of Britain, the Soviet Union and the
United States no longer made sense once Hitler
was gone. National interests overrode cooperation.
Suspicions rose with the mounting tension.
Germany's collapse enabled Stalin to fill the power
vacuum in Eastern Europe. The new rule for these
countries would be Kremlin friendly. These satellites
would provide a strong buffer to prevent future
invasions of the Soviet Union.
Roosevelt's death early in his fourth term gave
Truman the reigns of government. Up until
this moment the Vice President got his news
about the White House from the newspapers,
like everyone else.
Suddenly it's 'welcome to the White House'.
What do we to do with this atomic bomb?
For starts, the U.S. had its hands on 'the Bomb'.
Churchill and Roosevelt felt it best Stalin didn't know.
But he did. That's what spies are for.
Stalin's response - we need that bomb.
Make it happen.
The alliance wasn't based on friendship.
France belonged among the great global powers.
With the war over it was time Southeast Asia
be returned to France as its colony. Despite U.S.
aid, the French colony was lost to the backers of
the communist leader, Ho Chi Minh.
The war left much of western Europe with devastated
economies atop the destroyed infrastructure of entire
nations. Millions of people were displaced, clogging
the roads as refugees, looking for a place to call home.
Germany was crushed. Their enemies occupied the
land and called the shots. Konrad Adenauer became
a rallying point for those wanting Germany rebuilt
into a strong democracy.
* * * * *
OVER EASY
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