[schu]

My understanding is that the Allies had agreed to stop at the Elbe. If we had moved on Berlin, and even taken it, would Stalin have just let us do so? If things did then get belligerent and there was all out war between the Russians and the Allies, what is the "end state." Would the Allies have had to go all the way to Moscow?

[Yasotay]

I don't think we 'agreed' to stop at the Elbe. The Elbe was the line for the "Zones of Occupation". We would have had to withdraw back to it. Stalin thought for sure that we were going to take it and I am sure he would have demanded that we withdraw. Churchill wanted to take it. FDR was dying .... the end state .... the Soviets would not have got the atomic secrets that they got (although it looks like they got even more atomic secrets from the Japanese). They may not have been able to make the advances that they made with rockets and missiles (hence fewer or no SAM missiles) .... no Cold War ..... no Space Race ..... just what if(ing) 'end states'.