[Snuffington]

I think such an attack was strategically possible, but probably not politically survivable. I just don't see how the U. S. or British public would back another war so soon on the heels of defeating Germany.

Assuming political unity, I think the men and material resources of the U. S. and Britain would have been more than a match for the Soviet Union. U. S. and British industry were outproducing the Soviets by far. We would have easily gained and held sea and air supremacy. And remember, we had the bomb by that point. Stalin wouldn't for many more years.

[tonycavanagh]

re : but probably not politically survivable. I just don't see how the U. S. or British public would back another war so soon on the heels of defeating Germany.

That is how I read it, the Soviet Union was an ally, there was still Japan to beat, and with Germany and Japan beaten the people would want their boys home.

Tony

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I have to agree. The US was certainly sick of war and would have been hard pressed to justify a "preventitive" attack on a former ally. Americans wanted to come home and resume normal lives and I suspect the Brits did too.