S8 Ep886: Winston Churchill viewed the Soviet Union as a necessary bulwark against Hitler, leading him to treat Stalin as a "brother-in-arms" despite Soviet crimes. To keep the Russian army fighting as "cannon fodder," Churchill diverted crucial equipment—including

Winston Churchill viewed the Soviet Union as a necessary bulwark against Hitler, leading him to treat Stalin as a "brother-in-arms" despite Soviet crimes. To keep the Russian army fighting as "cannon fodder," Churchill diverted crucial equipment—including 200 Hawker Hurricane fighters and tanks meant for Singapore and North Africa—directly to Stalin. This massive transfer of resources retarded Britain's own domestic manufacturing and aircraft industries. Sean McMeekin argues that Churchill's "historical imagination" allowed the British to avoid direct land combat with Germany for several years while the Russians suffered the brunt of the casualties, leading to modern Russian moral blackmail arguments. (3/8) 1905 BAKU