Proposals of joint Allied air forces in the Russian Front

[Jenisch]

I have just read this:

It should also be remembered that as early as 1942, when the war was still undecided, Stalin was offered an Anglo-American bomber force that would operate from the Caucasus beginning in 1943, but for political reasons he rejected the proposal, desiring only the aircraft.

Soviet Air Power and Victory in World War II

Interesting proposal, anyone has details about how many aircraft the Allies were interested to send to Russia in case they agree? Until read this, I was only aware of the actual help provided by the British pilots that operated in the defense of Murmmansk in 1941, while training the Soviets to fly Hurricanes.

 

[davebender]

Stalin wanted no foreign military forces on his soil. He was a bit more flexible during 1941 and 1942 only because he was desperate for assistance.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Even when the 'grand alliance', to borrow from Churchillian parlance, was in place, there was a significant level of mutual distrust between the Western allies and the Soviet Union.

Stalin wanted, indeed needed, aid and assistance from the West. However, he wanted this aid on Soviet terms. Having a significant foreign military force based in the Soviet union under separate control was running perilously close to the intervention into Russia in 1918/1919, seeking to restore the Tsarist regime.

 

[Jenisch]

Really, many people tend to forgot the mutual distrust both sides had. Seems pretty obvious that had such distrust didn't existed, the Soviets would face considerably less pressure.

 

[PJay]

There was a French unit in Russia.
Normandie-Niemen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Jenisch]

How I could forgot those guys! Thank you.