Supply!

This is coolbert:

All throughout World War Two [WW2] , the United States DID supply the Soviet Union on a large scale basis with warmaking material.

Warmaking material that was desperately needed by the Soviets.

This material ran the gamut from boots to trucks [mostly Studebakers], to chemicals, to advanced fighter aircraft [primarily the P-39 Aircobra].

There were three routes used in the shipping of supplies from the U.S. to the Soviets.

One route ran through the North Atlantic, to the Soviet port of Murmansk.

Even the most casual student of WW2 military history is aware of this route.

A very dangerous route, weather wise, and combat wise.

Ships in enormous convoys, embarking from U.S. east coast ports, would first have to transit the North Atlantic, running a gauntlet of German submarines.

Further peril was realized when the convoy approached Norway. Continual attack from yet more submarines, land-based German aircraft, and sometimes even surface raiders of the German Navy was routine.

Terrific numbers of supply ships were sunk during these convoys to Murmansk, the destruction of the PQ17 convoy being the most well known incident of this kind during the war [over 60 % of the 50 ship convoy were sunk.

A sailor, having his ship sunk, had little chance of surviving even a short time in the cold waters of the Norwegian Sea. And the route to Murmansk was only open and could be used for only a few months of the year.

A second route for the shipping of supplies to the Soviets from America was through Iran. Supply convoys would have to sail first through the Atlantic, around the Cape of Good Hope, and then transit the Indian Ocean to Iranian ports. This route, while safer, was much longer. And when unloaded, the supplies still had to be sent via trucks to the Soviets. This was a time consuming and laborious effort of the first magnitude.

Yet a third, and very little known route for supplying warmaking material to the Soviets existed during WW2.

This was the shipping route from the west coast ports of the U.S., through the north Pacific, to Soviet far east ports such as Vladivostok.

From those Soviet Far East ports, the supplies would be loaded unto trains of the Trans-Siberian railway, headed west to where the battle front with the Germans was.

Strangely enough, even thought they had the means to do so, these supply convoys WERE NEVER attacked or interfered with by the Japanese.

The Soviet Union at the time WAS NOT at war with Japan and were so until almost the very end of the Pacific conflict.

The Japanese at their own peril did not want to antagonize the Soviets and DID NOT attack or interfere with any of these supply convoys [the Japanese DID have a lot of capability to do so, but did NOT!!]. Keeping the Soviets neutral in the Pacific war was very important to the Japanese. To the very end of the war, this neutrality was maintained and respected. Japan DID have a big fear of the Soviets. A fear that kept them AWAY from those north Pacific resupply convoys!!

As for the P-39 Aircobras, well, that is a story unto itself.



All throughout the war, P-39 Aircobras, supplied to the Soviets, would embark from Great Falls, Montana, enroute to the Soviet Union, flown by Soviet pilots!! [American pilots were also involved in this ferrying operation.

[What percentage of the aircraft were flown by Soviets and what percentage was flown by Americans is not known to me].

These aircraft would first fly to Alaska via Montana and British Columbia.

From Alaska ONLY Soviet pilots were allowed to fly the aircraft over the Bering Sea to airbases in the Soviet Far East.

Upon arriving at these bases, the Aircobras would be dismantled, placed on railroad cars, and shipped via train to the battle front far to the west!! It is also known that those Soviet pilots, while ferrying the aircraft, were also involved in a widespread intelligence effort, doing a detailed photo reconnaissance along the way!!

[There is a picture of a Soviet officer dancing with an American partner at the officers club in Great Falls. You cannot imagine two more emotionally cool and distant dance partners. Even when helping the Soviets, a certain coolness and just plain arrogance and hostility often manifested itself on the part of the Soviet participants.]

[The P-39 Aircobra was NOT widely used by American forces during WW2. Was NOT a liked aircraft. Was felt to have TOO many problems. Soviet reactions seemed to be similar. Stalin is reputed to have said, "our pilots consider this P-39 the Americans are supplying us with to be a piece of shit!!"].

"Generosity is always the first mistake". [Eli Wallach, "The Magnificent Seven"].

coolbert.