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Six Months in 1945

FDR, Stalin, Churchill, and Truman--from World War to Cold War

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Six Months in 1945

By: Michael Dobbs
Narrated by: Bob Walter
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About this listen

 From the author of the best-selling One Minute to Midnight, a riveting account of the pivotal six-month period spanning the end of World War II, the dawn of the nuclear age, and the beginning of the Cold War.

When Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill met in Yalta in February 1945, Hitler’s armies were on the run and victory was imminent. The Big Three wanted to draft a blueprint for a lasting peace—but instead set the stage for a forty-four-year division of Europe into Soviet and western spheres of influence. After fighting side by side for nearly four years, their political alliance was rapidly fracturing. By the time the leaders met again in Potsdam in July 1945, Russians and Americans were squabbling over the future of Germany and Churchill was warning about an “iron curtain” being drawn down over the Continent.

These six months witnessed some of the most dramatic moments of the twentieth century: the cataclysmic battle for Berlin, the death of Franklin Roosevelt, the discovery of the Nazi concentration camps, Churchill’s electoral defeat, and the dropping of atomic bombs on Japan. While their armies linked up in the heart of Europe, the political leaders maneuvered for leverage: Stalin using his nation’s wartime sacrifices to claim spoils, Churchill doing his best to halt Britain’s waning influence, FDR trying to charm Stalin, Truman determined to stand up to an increasingly assertive Soviet superpower.

Six Months in 1945 brilliantly captures this momentous historical turning point, chronicling the geopolitical twists behind the descent of the iron curtain, while illuminating the aims and personalities of larger-than-life political giants. It is a vividly rendered story of individual and national interests in fierce competition at a seminal moment in history. 20th Century Europe Military Modern War Russia Winston Churchill Soviet Union Stalin Cold War Imperialism Franklin D Roosevelt Imperial Japan Interwar Period Self-Determination Roosevelt Family Socialism Holocaust Middle East
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This is a fascinating listen. From Yalta to Potsdam and everything in between: The death of Roosevelt, Churchill’s defeat in the election and the dropping of the atomic bomb.

The shocking sellout of Poland casts a dark shadow over the final months of the war to the shame of the allies. Eastern Europe is discussed in fascinating detail and again is deeply troubling.

Highly recommend.

Riveting

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very interesting details of the personalities ofnthe big three leaders and their policies. the author bring to life the real issues of the day. the horror of Soviet policies towards their own people compared to the arrogance of the US in Europe and impotence of the UK. Great stuff.

Enjoyable summary of the end of the war.

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What this book perhaps lacked in a cohesive story it more than makes up for in how it winds such disparate events into a compelling narrative of how the great powers largely inadvertently marched to the Cold War.
Full of amazing anecdotes, quotes, and historical details this book was fantastically written.
The narrator does the tale fantastic justice in his approach.
Highly recommend.

A fascinating review of the events of 1945

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enjoyed the book on the whole, strong start was fascinating but tailed off to the end.

strong start, tailed off

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