There have been a number of popular history books recently trying to reveal the personalities of the main players in the relationship between the Allies in WW2. I have recently read The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson (which I review here) and The Daughters of Yalta by Catherine Grace Katz (see my review here) which are both based on diaries and documents from the war. In The Stalin Affair by Giles Milton the author covers some of the same ground as the two previous books but he concentrates specifically on those who travelled to Moscow and endeavoured to maintain the relationship with Stalin, a man who they really didn’t trust.
The book covers the period 1941-1945 and the interactions of Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin. The author leans heavily on the unpublished wartime writings of Kathleen (Kathy) Harriman, daughter of Averell, President Roosevelt’s emissary to the Soviet Union who fills her pages with her impressions of the people and events as well as the gossip of the time. He also uses the writings of Harriman himself and the British ambassador to Moscow, Archie Clark Kerr. He shows who trusted who, and who didn’t and, of course, with the benefit of hindsight he demonstrates when the correct decision was made and when there were mistakes based on imperfect knowledge and understanding. There are lots of anecdotes and stories to enliven the narrative.
If you know a bit about how WW2 progressed and the importance of these relationships you will find this book interesting, especially as the author is able to use the diaries to personalise the story and to help us understand the people involved, the lives they lived and their motivation. The book isn’t designed for those already with an in depth knowledge of the war or for anyone looking for a volume of military history but for a general reader such as myself it is accessible, fascinating and often eye opening.
I listened to this book on audio, read by John Murray, and really enjoyed it.
Anne Is Reading 