S8 Ep886: Professor Sean McMeekin explains that Joseph Stalin's core strategy was to allow capitalist "monster nations" like France, Germany, and England to exhaust each other before he intervened to expand the Russian Empire. This vision was realized through Harry

Professor Sean McMeekin explains that Joseph Stalin's core strategy was to allow capitalist "monster nations" like France, Germany, and England to exhaust each other before he intervened to expand the Russian Empire. This vision was realized through Harry Hopkins' 1941 mission to Moscow, which established a direct communication channel between FDR and Stalin. Hopkins shocked Stalin by promising that the United States would provide "whatever he wants" with no conditions applied, even sacking military observers who requested access to information. This created a "peculiarly one-sided" relationship where the U.S. fueled and armed the USSR without demanding assistance against Japan. (1/8)1875 BAKU OIL FIELDS