Everything Everywhere Daily Operation Unthinkable
Nov 9, 2023
After World War II, concerns arose among the Allied forces about their alliance. Operation Unthinkable was a contingency plan for the Allies to fight each other. The complex relationships between the Soviet Union, United States, and United Kingdom during the war led to mistrust and tensions. The podcast explores the challenges the Soviet Union would have faced and the reasons the war did not happen.
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Allies United by Necessity
- The Allied alliance in WWII was one of convenience, not genuine friendship, uniting mainly due to a common enemy.
- Once Nazi Germany was defeated, distrust resurfaced, bringing concerns over Soviet dominance in Europe.
Patton's War Prediction
- General George Patton believed war with the Soviets was inevitable and forecast a swift victory with minimal casualties.
- He predicted it would cost six years and six million lives ultimately, but still thought the Third Army could defeat the Soviets in six weeks.
Churchill's Wariness of Stalin
- Winston Churchill never fully trusted Stalin and feared Soviet threats to Europe after Nazi defeat.
- The Soviets maintained a non-aggression pact with Japan, taking no part in the Pacific war by May 1945, unlike the Western Allies.