The post-war crimes of the Allies

Transsylvania Phoenix ^ | 06/11/2012 | Transsylvania Phoenix

[.454Puma]

This is the story about the forced deportation of hundred of thousands of Cossacks from Western Europe (and according to some witnesses even from the US) to face execution squads and death in extermination camps in Stalin's USSR.

[WestwardHo]

I did a lousy job of asking my initial question.
Forget Gitmo.

[MikeSteelBe]

Probably. Anything to make the Western world look bad.

[BroJoeK]

dfwgator: "Stalin wanted war every bit as much as Hitler."

Stalin initiated neither negotiations for a non-aggression pact, nor the war itself, those were Hitler's doing.

Stalin was forced to chose sides -- Hitler versus Neville Chamberlain.
He chose the obviously stronger ally, who offered him the better deal: Hitler.
Had he chosen Chamberlain, it could mean war against Germany in 1939 or 1940, instead of 1941.
And Stalin had no confidence in the West's ability, or even willingness, to help him.

Yes, of course, to your specific point: Stalin hoped to profit from Germany's war against the West.
What he expected was a repeat of the First World War, with Germany, France and Britain bleeding each other and growing so weak the Communists would simply walk in and take over.

And unlike Hitler, Stalin had all the patience in the world to sit back and wait for events.
In the end it turned out events did not unfold quite as he expected, but in their moments of desperation, Churchill, Roosevelt and Company were eager to forgive the Soviets', ahem, "indiscretions" with Hitler, and welcome "Uncle Joe" as our great wartime ally.