Wow. FDR set my BS meter off in today’s report. I don’t have time to go over it now, but maybe this evening after I’m done with this presentation I’m doing.
"German Jews are deported to the Lódz (Poland) Ghetto."
"Nazi authorities often forced the Jews to police themselves, especially in the ghettos.
This photograph shows a Jewish policeman at the entrance to the ghetto in Stanislawów, Ukraine.
The sign, in German, reads, "Entrance to the Jewish Quarter is Forbidden."
The Nazis hoped to completely cut off the ghettos from the outside world.
No one was to know what went on there."
Getting back to FDR’s statement on the shipment of supplies from the United States to the Soviet Union. At this point in time, nothing has been sent to the Soviets from the U.S making this statement of his disingenuous. The U.S.’s contribution to the Soviet war effort since the signing of the First Moscow Protocol has been to “unfreeze” $40,000,000 in Soviet assets frozen in the U.S. since the Winter War. Also they elected not to apply the provisions of the 1939 Neutrality act to the Soviets which would have restricted them from receiving military aid at all.
It won’t be until 1942 before any significant aid from the United States will reach the Soviet Union. In the mean time, it will be the British that will bear the brunt of the aid to the Soviets starting with a gift of 200 Tomahawk P-40Cs given to the Soviets as a “gift”. (Which is probably how FDR justifies his claim of U.S. aid by proxy since these were Lend-Lease aircraft provided to the British).
The provisions of the First Moscow Protocol, which were never fully met by the way, were provided by the British. The best the U.S. will be able to provide during this period would be around 100 fighters a month towards the end of the First Protocol (ending in June 1942) compared to the British who where providing around 200 aircraft per month.
Additionally, armor was also predominantly British. The British provided the Soviets with Matilda and Valentine tanks. Though not as robust as the T-34 and KV-1, these tanks augmented the Soviet forces at just the time when they were needed the most. At this point with the movement of the industrial facilities away from the front lines there is a significant drop in Soviet tank production (however, their rapid movement and return to full production is one of the most amazing achievements in the war). By the end of December the British deliveries of tanks represented only 6.5 percent of the Soviet tank force, with the bulk of the remaining Soviet force being light tanks, it represented 25% of the Soviet medium and heavy tank force. A significant number at a critical time. American deliveries of armor was zero at this point.
Getting back to aircraft for a moment. I have already mentioned the first delivery of P-40s, but it is important to note that the bulk of the aircraft delivered to the Russians in the First Moscow Protocol were Hawker Hurricanes produced the Britain. Of the total numbers of aircraft available to the Soviets in 1942, 27.5% of them were Lend-Lease aircraft of which 74% of those aircraft were Hurricanes.
Even the delivery of other materials such as machine tools, field radio sets, vehicles, and even raw materials were mostly provided by the British in 1941 and the first part of 1942.
FDR can boast all he wants about U.S. aid to the Soviets, but the reality of the matter is that we haven’t really done much for them yet. It won’t be until the Soviets begin to push the Germans back that American Lend-Lease aid will play a significant roll, especially on the logistical front. This fact will be suppressed by the Soviets after the war of course.