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Professor Geoff Roberts reflects on Russia’s Victory Day

9 May 2011

Professor Geoff Roberts reflects on Russia’s Victory Day

 

The Soviet Union alone indeed could have won World War II, but would have done it at a much slower pace, believes Professor Geoffrey Roberts, School of History, University College Cork, interviewed by Darya Pushkova for RT (Russian State English-language television) as part of events marking Russia’s Victory Day - 66 years since Nazi Germany was defeated in World War II.

 

 

“The Soviet Union could have defeated Nazi Germany on its own, but it would have taken it a lot longer and at much greater price and, of course, it would have taken the country much longer to recover after World War II,” Roberts told RT.

 

“Yes, the Soviet Union did not ultimately need its allies to win the war, but its alliance with particularly the United States and Great Britain helped it to win the war a lot quicker than it would have otherwise been the case,” he added.

 

According to Roberts, following World War II, the Soviet Union was much less enthusiastic about the Cold War than its recent allies, the USA and Great Britain. “On the Western side, once the Cold War had broken out, there was a much more positive engagement with the Cold War, whereas on the Soviet side there was a reluctance to become involved in the Cold War and continuous efforts to revive the Grand Alliance,” he said.

 

“One of the great themes of post-war Soviet foreign policy is a desire to return to the Grand Alliance,” Roberts added.

 

Source: RT (formerly Russia Today). 

School of History

Scoil na Staire

Tyrconnell,Off College Road,Cork,Ireland.

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