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mLine 42:
Line 42: − − On January 11, Stalin announced the incorporation of the eastern half of Poland into the [[Ribbentrop-Molotov line]] (now rechristened the [[Curzon line]]). On February 22, Churchill made a speech in the Commons in which he said that Poland must make territorial concessions to Russia. The Polish, Baltic and Balkan diplomats in Washington could not get to see Roosevelt. The Polish Ambassador did not succed in arranging an audience for the new Polish premier [[Stanisław Mikołajczyk]] until June. − − − In July Stalin handed over the western part of Poland to the "Committee of Liberation" headed by a Soviet named Bierut, a former Pole long Soviet citizen. Mikolajczyk went to Moscow to meet Stalin. A conference between Stalin, Churchill, Mikolajczyk, Molotov, Eden, Harriman and others on October 13 was held. Stalin demanded the Soviet's absorption of eastern Poland up to the Curzon line be recognized and the “Committee of Liberation” also be recognized. Line 67:
Line 62: − + − + − − The Soviet army occupied Manchuria and confiscated large quantities of Japanese arms. Though the [[Sino-Soviet Treaty]] obligated the Soviets to turn Manchuria over to the [[Chinese Nationalist]]s, the Soviet troops timed their withdrawals from Manchurian cities in such a way as to facilitate [[Mao]] and the [[Chinese Communist]]'s occupation. <ref>Steven I. Levine, ''Anvil of Victory'', New York, 1987, p. 82.</ref> The Soviet army would not allow the Nationalists to land at the main Manchurian ports for five weeks, thereby preventing the Nationalists from occupying key Manchurian positions. <ref>Tang Tsou, ''America's Failure in China'', 1941-1945, Chicago 1964, pg. 330.</ref> The Soviets turned over captured Japanese arms to the Maoist forces. <ref>James Reardon-Anderson, ''Yenan and the Great Powers'', New York 1980, p. 107; Tang Tsou, p. 331.</ref> The Soviets rebuilt Lin Piao's Fourth Field Army and transferred into it 100,000 [[North Korea]]n troops with supplies. <ref>Richard C. Thornton, ''China: A Political History, 1917-1980'', Boulder CO 1982, pg. 206.</ref> The USSR helped to form, equip and train an 800,000 strong army which ultimately played the decisive role in routing the Kuomintang forces. <ref>Dmitri Yefimov, ''Our Common Victory'', Moscow, 1988, pp. 82-83.</ref>
Reverted edits by RobS (Talk); changed back to last version by TK
==War in Europe 1944==
==War in Europe 1944==
"The time of liberation is at hand. Poles, to arms! There is not a moment to lose!" This was broadcast on the Polish language radio station from Moscow on July 29, 1944, at 8:15 in the evening. A force of 40,000 responded. <ref>''Tragedy and Hope: A History of the World in Our Time'', Carroll Quigley, Collier-Macmillan, 1966, pg. 795. ISBN 0-945001-10-X</ref> But the Red Army, for sixty-three days, denying they knew anything about it, refused to drop weapons and food to assist the Polish fighters for whose liberty the British government had gone to war in September 1939. The Polish resistance fighters were massacred methodically by the Germans. At the very time at which Prime Minister Mikolajczyk from the legitimate [[Republic of Poland|Polish Government in exile]] in London flew to Moscow, the Kremlin "recognized" the [[Comintern]] puppet regime, the [[Lublin Committee]], as the new Polish "people's government." <ref>Stanislaw Mikolajczyk, ''The Rape of Poland; Pattern of Soviet Agression'', (NY: Whittlesey House, 1948), p. 70.</ref>
"The time of liberation is at hand. Poles, to arms! There is not a moment to lose!" This was broadcast on the Polish language radio station from Moscow on July 29, 1944, at 8:15 in the evening. A force of 40,000 responded. <ref>''Tragedy and Hope: A History of the World in Our Time'', Carroll Quigley, Collier-Macmillan, 1966, pg. 795. ISBN 0-945001-10-X</ref> But the Red Army, for sixty-three days, denying they knew anything about it, refused to drop weapons and food to assist the Polish fighters for whose liberty the British government had gone to war in September 1939. The Polish resistance fighters were massacred methodically by the Germans. At the very time at which Prime Minister Mikolajczyk from the legitimate [[Republic of Poland|Polish Government in exile]] in London flew to Moscow, the Kremlin "recognized" the [[Comintern]] puppet regime, the [[Lublin Committee]], as the new Polish "people's government." <ref>Stanislaw Mikolajczyk, ''The Rape of Poland; Pattern of Soviet Agression'', (NY: Whittlesey House, 1948), p. 70.</ref>
While Romania was frantically imploring the West for assistance, the U.S. [[Office of War Information]] (OWI) praised the Soviet Unions's "new democracy" and the "innocent nature of Communism." <ref>Reuben M. Markham, ''Rumania Uner the Soviet Yoke'' (Boston: Meader, 1949), p.
While Romania was frantically imploring the West for assistance, the U.S. [[Office of War Information]] (OWI) praised the Soviet Unions's "new democracy" and the "innocent nature of Communism." <ref>Reuben M. Markham, ''Rumania Uner the Soviet Yoke'' (Boston: Meader, 1949), p.
At first the United States was on the defensive, losing the Phillipines, and other countries under U.S. military protection. The battle of the Coral Sea was the first major engagement with the Japanese that resulted in a draw and set the stage for the battle of Midway a month later. That one battle changed the direction of the war forever, crushing Japanese offensive sea power in one strike. After that, the Japanese were forced to be on the defensive for the rest of the war and never seriously threatened the American military again. In order to shorten the war, the U.S. military chose to adopt a policy of island hopping that including bypassing most of the extensive Japanese holdings to instead focus on a relatively straight path leading to Japan.
At first the United States was on the defensive, losing the Phillipines, and other countries under U.S. military protection. The battle of the Coral Sea was the first major engagement with the Japanese that resulted in a draw and set the stage for the battle of Midway a month later. That one battle changed the direction of the war forever, crushing Japanese offensive sea power in one strike. After that, the Japanese were forced to be on the defensive for the rest of the war and never seriously threatened the American military again. In order to shorten the war, the U.S. military chose to adopt a policy of island hopping that including bypassing most of the extensive Japanese holdings to instead focus on a relatively straight path leading to Japan.
[[Image:Ww2-asia usma.edu pic.gif|thumb|300px|right|Time Line of Pacific War]]
[[Image:Ww2-asia usma.edu pic.gif|thumb|300px|right|Time Line of Pacific War]]
Stalin, throughout the war, had assured the United States through Ambassadors [[Averell Harriman]],<ref> John R. Deane, The Strange Alliance: The Story of Our Efforts at Wartime Co-operation with Russia (NY:Viking, 1947) p. 226.</ref> Pat Hurley,<ref> William D. Leahy, I Was There: The Personal Story of the Chief of Staff to Presidents Truman and Roosevelt; Based on his Notes and Diaries Made at the Time; (NY:Whittlesey House, 1950), p. 147.</ref> and Secretary of State [[Cordell Hull]]<ref>Cordell Hull, Memoirs (NY:Macmillian, 1948), Chapter 90, p. 1398.</ref> that he would enter the war against Japan. In 1943, to Hull, the promise had been made "without any strings to it." In 1944, when the matter was again discussed with Harriman, Stalin specified his conditions: "provided that the United States would assist in building up sixty divisions in Siberia"," fuel, food, transport equipment and other supplies for 1,500,000 men, 3000 tanks, 5000 planes, and "provided the political aspects of Russia's participation had been clarified." <ref> John R. Deane, The Strange Alliance: The Story of Our Efforts at Wartime Co-operation with Russia (NY:Viking, 1947) p. 247.</ref>
Stalin, throughout the war, had assured the United States through Ambassadors [[Averell Harriman]],<ref> John R. Deane, The Strange Alliance: The Story of Our Efforts at Wartime Co-operation with Russia (NY:Viking, 1947) p. 226.</ref> Pat Hurley,<ref> William D. Leahy, I Was There: The Personal Story of the Chief of Staff to Presidents Truman and Roosevelt; Based on his Notes and Diaries Made at the Time; (NY:Whittlesey House, 1950), p. 147.</ref> and Secretary of State [[Cordell Hull]]<ref>Cordell Hull, Memoirs (NY:Macmillian, 1948), Chapter 90, p. 1398.</ref> that he would enter the war against Japan. In 1943, to Hull, the promise had been made "without any strings to it." In 1944, when the matter was again discussed with Harriman, Stalin specified his conditions: "provided that the United States would assist in building up sixty divisions in Siberia" and "provided the political aspects of Russia's participation had been clarified."<ref> John R. Deane, The Strange Alliance: The Story of Our Efforts at Wartime Co-operation with Russia (NY:Viking, 1947) p. 247.</ref>
==The End of World War II in Asia==
==The End of World War II in Asia==
On August 6, 1945, a B-29 Superfortress, the Enola Gay, dropped a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima. The Soviet Union declared war on Japan on August 8. Then, on August 9, a B-29 dropped the second atomic bomb. On August 20 the Japanese government told the United States it was ready to accept the terms which the Allies proposed. The next day, the Allies replied, saying the authority of the emperor would be "subject to the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers." On August 14 the Japanese government agreed to this.
On August 6, 1945, a B-29 Superfortress, the Enola Gay, dropped a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima. Then, on August 9, a B-29 dropped the second atomic bomb. On August 20 the Japanese government told the United States it was ready to accept the terms which the Allies proposed. The next day, the Allies replied, saying the authority of the emperor would be "subject to the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers." On August 14 the Japanese government agreed to this.
Then, September 2, 1945, the Japanese government, along with all its military forces, formally surrendered to the United States. This happened in a ceremony aboard a United States battleship, the ''Missouri'', on [[Tokyo Bay]], where the [[Japanese Instrument of Surrender]] was signed. This was the ending of World War II, after six years almost to the day.
Then, September 2, 1945, the Japanese government, along with all its military forces, formally surrendered to the United States. This happened in a ceremony aboard a United States battleship, the ''Missouri'', on [[Tokyo Bay]], where the [[Japanese Instrument of Surrender]] was signed. This was the ending of World War II, after six years almost to the day.
==Fallout From World War II==
==Fallout From World War II==