“Like Soviets in World War 2?“
Ah the ole lend lease program. We sure like to pat ourselves on the back for that one, and to a certain extent rightfully so. But it is probably important to remember a couple of things.
First, soon after Germany invaded Stalin did what was probably his best decision of the entire war. He tore down all his factories and shipped them east…..out of the reach of the Germans. This was tough as those factories could not produce anything during the move and reconstruction.
Second, lend lease did not start arriving in great quantities until after the battles of Moscow, Stalingrad and Kursk. Honestly after Kursk Germany was done in the east….it was only a matter of time.
Had lend lease been arriving in major quantities in 41 I probably could agree with you. But even then lend lease percentages were small compared to Soviet homeland production.
Did lend lease help? Of course, but to compare the Soviet situation in the early 40’s to propped up Ukraine today just does not equate.
The critical point was late 1942, when lend lease was of enormous value. It gave the Soviets the operational mobility to carry out Operation Uranus, and it’s exploitation. And it guaranteed Soviet air superiority over the front.
Also it kept the USSR from starving, up to 1945 and after.
Did lend lease help? Of course, but to compare the Soviet situation in the early 40’s to propped up Ukraine today just does not equate.
Not exactly, the Lend-Lease supplies the Soviets got from us and the Brits in ‘41 helped tip the balance in the battle for Moscow. Then in ‘42 Lend-Lease supplies gave the Soviets the mobility to carry out Operations Uranus and Saturn.