Even before the United States officially entered World War II in December 1941, the nation was already channeling vital resources to the Soviet Union. This aid was crucial in bolstering the Soviet fight against the brutal Nazi invasion, a conflict that reshaped the 20th century. Despite the initial non-aggression pact between the Soviet Union and Germany in August 1939, Hitler’s forces launched a full-scale invasion of the USSR in June 1941. This act of betrayal abruptly ended their tenuous alliance and thrust the Soviets into a desperate war against Nazi Germany. Recognizing the global implications of this conflict, President Franklin D. Roosevelt persuaded the U.S. Congress to approve military assistance to nations deemed “vital to the defense of the United States,” understanding that the Soviet front was a critical bulwark against Fascism.
Roosevelt eloquently articulated the urgency and rationale behind this support, stating, “We cannot, and we will not, tell [them] that they must surrender, merely because of present inability to pay for the weapons which we know they must have.” This principle underpinned the Lend-Lease Act, enacted nine months prior to the U.S.’s formal entry into the war. This landmark legislation enabled Washington to dispatch essential war materials to Great Britain, China, and the Soviet Union. While ideological differences existed between the U.S. and the USSR, the existential threat posed by Hitler’s regime forged a common purpose and unprecedented cooperation.
The Lend-Lease program, while termed a “loan,” was not primarily conceived for financial return. Roosevelt clarified this to the American public by using a relatable analogy: “Suppose my neighbor’s home catches fire. … If he can take my garden hose and connect it up with his hydrant I may help him to put out his fire. Now, what do I do? I don’t say to him before that operation, ‘Neighbor, my garden hose cost me $15; you have got to pay me $15 for it.’ I don’t want $15 — I want my garden hose back. In other words, if you lend certain munitions, and munitions come back after the war, you are all right.” The underlying aim was not monetary gain, but rather to provide critical resources to allies in the fight against tyranny. Ultimately, the U.S. largely considered Lend-Lease a grant, positioning itself as the “arsenal of democracy” for nations resisting Nazism and fascism, rather than expecting full monetary reimbursement. Some debts were later settled at significantly reduced rates, reflecting the program’s true purpose: strategic wartime support.
The Arsenal of Democracy Equips the Red Army
Following the devastating German attack on the Soviet Union in June 1941, the United States swiftly mobilized aid. The first convoys carrying crucial supplies departed for the Soviet Union as early as August of the same year. The sheer scale and scope of this assistance are meticulously documented by sources such as Russia Beyond, a publication of the Russian state newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta, and corroborated by numerous historians, notably Albert L. Weeks in his comprehensive 2004 study, Russia’s Life-Saver: Lend-Lease Aid to the USSR in World War II.
The statistics are staggering. America furnished its Soviet ally with an immense quantity of military hardware, fundamentally impacting the Soviet war effort and, by extension, the appearance and capabilities of the Red Army. The Lend-Lease program delivered:
- 400,000 Jeeps and Trucks: Providing essential mobility and logistical support across vast distances.
- 14,000 Aircraft: Augmenting the Soviet Air Force with fighters and bombers, crucial for air superiority and ground support.
- 8,000 Tractors: Boosting agricultural production and crucial for post-war recovery.
- 13,000 Tanks: Strengthening Soviet armored divisions and playing a pivotal role in key battles.
Beyond military vehicles and weaponry, the Lend-Lease program also supplied a massive influx of essential provisions that sustained both the Soviet military and civilian population:
- Over 1.5 Million Blankets: Providing vital protection against the harsh Russian winters for soldiers and civilians alike.
- 15 Million Pairs of Army Boots: Equipping the Red Army with durable footwear, essential for combat effectiveness in varied terrains. This aspect, while seemingly mundane, was critical for maintaining troop readiness and morale, contributing to the overall “uniform” and preparedness of the Soviet soldier.
- 107,000 Tons of Cotton: Supporting textile production for uniforms and other essential fabrics.
- 2.7 Million Tons of Petroleum Products: Fueling the Soviet war machine – aircraft, trucks, and tanks – ensuring operational capability.
- 4.5 Million Tons of Food: Alleviating food shortages and sustaining both the military and civilian population during wartime.
[Preparation of canned pork (Russian: “svinaia tushonka”) for Lend-Lease shipment to the USSR at the Kroger grocery and baking company in Cincinnati in June 1943 (Library of Congress/U.S. Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information/Howard R. Hollem)]
The aid package was remarkably comprehensive, encompassing guns, ammunition, explosives, vital industrial materials like copper, steel, and aluminum, medical supplies, field radios, radar technology, educational materials, and a wide array of other necessities. In an extraordinary undertaking, the U.S. even dismantled and transported an entire Ford Company tire factory to the Soviet Union. This factory became instrumental in producing tires for Soviet military vehicles, showcasing the depth and breadth of American support. From 1941 to 1945, the total value of goods and services provided to the Soviets under Lend-Lease amounted to $11.3 billion, equivalent to approximately $180 billion in 2016 dollars – a testament to the scale of American commitment.
Acknowledging the Impact: Stalin, Khrushchev, and Putin Reflect
The Soviet leadership at the time, and subsequently, openly acknowledged the profound impact of Lend-Lease aid. In a letter penned to President Roosevelt in November 1941, Soviet Premier Josef Stalin conveyed his deep appreciation: “Your decision, Mr. President, to give the Soviet Union an interest-free credit of $1 billion in the form of materiel supplies and raw materials has been accepted by the Soviet government with heartfelt gratitude as urgent aid to the Soviet Union in its enormous and difficult fight against the common enemy — bloodthirsty Hitlerism.”
Stalin further emphasized the critical role of American assistance during a dinner toast at the Tehran Conference in December 1943, stating unequivocally, “The United States … is a country of machines. Without the use of those machines through Lend-Lease, we would lose this war.” Nikita Khrushchev, who later led the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, echoed Stalin’s assessment in his memoirs. Khrushchev recounted Stalin’s emphatic acknowledgment of Lend-Lease, noting, “He stated bluntly that if the United States had not helped us, we would not have won the war.”
Remembering a Shared History: From Museums to Modern Recognition
The now-closed Museum of the Allies and Lend-Lease in Moscow served as a physical testament to America’s significant contributions to the Soviet war effort. Among its exhibits was a Willys jeep, an iconic American vehicle, donated by the son of Soviet Marshal K.K. Rokossovsky, and remarkably, still operational. The museum also showcased unique artifacts, including uniform buttons bearing Soviet symbols but stamped “Made in Chicago” on the reverse – tangible symbols of the interconnected war effort. While the museum is no longer active, its former director, Nikolai Borodin, continues to champion the Lend-Lease narrative, underscoring that American aid extended beyond military hardware to include food, clothing, and even toys for Russian civilians, highlighting the comprehensive nature of the support. According to Borodin, under Lend-Lease, “whatever was asked for was received,” reflecting the unwavering commitment of the United States to its Soviet ally during this critical period.
In contemporary Russia, there is also recognition of this historical assistance. Speaking at the 60th anniversary of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany in Moscow on May 9, 2005, Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the immense sacrifices made by the Soviet Union, which bore the brunt of casualties in WWII. However, he also openly recognized the crucial support provided by the Allies in achieving victory. Putin highlighted the global scale of the conflict, noting that “61 nations and almost 80 percent of the world’s population” were impacted, and affirmed that Allied assistance was integral to defeating Hitler.
“Dear friends, we never divided the victory into ours and someone else’s,” Putin stated. “We will always remember the assistance from the Allies: the United States of America, Great Britain, France and other nations of the anti-Hitler coalition, [plus] German and Italian anti-fascists.” Decades prior, in April 1945, shortly after President Roosevelt’s death, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, addressing the UK House of Commons, lauded Roosevelt’s visionary leadership in establishing Lend-Lease. Churchill described it as “the most unselfish and unsordid financial act of any country in all history,” recognizing its profound impact on the Allied victory. For American leaders, the success of Lend-Lease in contributing to the defeat of Hitler and Nazi Germany validated the program’s strategic importance and cemented its place in history as a pivotal act of international cooperation during a time of global crisis.
By U.S. Mission Italy | 2 May, 2023 | Topics: News | Tags: U.S. – Russia
