American Guns and Soviet Lives: The Saving of the USSR

Presenter

Andrew J. Witkowski

Campus

UMass Amherst

Sponsor

Garrett Washington, Department of History, UMass Amherst

Schedule

Session 2, 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM [Schedule by Time][Poster Grid for Time/Location]

Location

Poster Board C12, Poster Showcase Room (163), Row 2 (C11-C20) [Poster Location Map]

Abstract

This research investigates the significant impact of Lend-Lease aid from America to the USSR

during the Second World War on the survival of the Soviet people. The Lend-Lease policy,

adopted by America under the guise of feigned neutrality, provided crucial military assistance to

American allies between the Nazi invasion of Poland and the Battle of Stalingrad. Motivated by

claims from Russian nationalists, including Vladimir Putin, asserting that the Soviet Union could

have independently defended itself against the Nazis, this study relies on contemporary

American and Soviet statistical sources from both during and after the war, as well as scholarly

opinions spanning the 20th and 21st centuries.

The primary conclusion drawn is that American resources played a vital role in the Soviet

success against the Nazi invaders. However, due to a lack of documentation, Soviet inaccuracies,

and Communist propaganda, a specific quantification of lives saved or lost remains inconclusive.

This research underscores the importance of recognizing that the Soviet Union's war effort,

particularly during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, was significantly funded by American

industry through Lend-Lease. This study contributes to a broader understanding of the historical

context, dispelling misconceptions about the self-sufficiency of the Soviet Union during a critical

period in world history.

Keywords

Soviet Union, Lend-lease, World War Two, United States

Research Area

History

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