The Balkans in World War Two: Britain's Balkan Dilemma 1939-41

by C. Catherwood

Overview

Between 1939 and 1941, Britain had a terrible dilemma. She was keen to see Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and Yugoslavia join the Allies against Nazi Germany, but the 1939 Molotov Ribbentrop Pact had changed everything: the Balkan countries were far more afraid of Stalin than of Hitler. Britain and France were also concerned about the Soviets giving so much oil to Germany: in 1940 Britain almost went to war with the USSR in an attack on the Caucasus. This book looks at how Britain tried to resolve these dilemmas and ultimately failed to do so.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780333741641
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan UK
Publication date:	11/03/2003
Edition description:	2003
Pages:	207
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.99(h) x 0.03(d)

About the Author

Christopher Catherwood is an historian and writer based in Cambridge, England and Richmond, Virginia. He teaches extramurally for Cambridge University and the University of Richmond.

Table of Contents

Introduction —The Problem up to 1939
• Britain's Failure in to Get Turkey and the Balkans on Side, and Failed Talks with Stalin
• Britain's Dilemma in 1939 Gets Clearer
• Britain and the Russo-Finnish War; the USSR and the Caucasus Oil Fields; Italy Enters the War
• Sir Stafford Cripps and Russia; Further Balkan Reactions
• Italian Invasion of Greece, and German Invasion of the USSR
• Conclusion: Was Churchill Right, or did we make a Horrible Mistake?