The Big Three: Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin in Peace & War - Softcover

Edmonds, Robin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0393309142 ISBN 13: 9780393309140

Publisher: W W Norton & Co Inc, 1992

Synopsis

Examines the relationship of three of the most influential world leaders of the twentieth century, discussing how they reacted to each other personally and politically

About this title

From Publishers Weekly

This study of the summit meetings of the Allied war of 1939-45 is the most comprehensive to date. The book also presents the deepest perspective, for Edmonds starts by showing the individual relationships of Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin to Germany when Hitler took power, and the different ways they reacted as Britain, the Soviet Union and the United States were pulled into war. Drawing on fresh evidence from Soviet and Western sources, Edmonds analyzes each meeting between the Big Three in pairs, and as a trio at Teheran and Yalta, as well as preparatory conferences between their ministers. There are no dramatic revelations here, but Edmonds, former head of the American department of British Foreign Office, enables us to listen closely to far-reaching talks on the scope and timing of military operations and postwar territorial settlement. Perhaps the most interesting discussions occurred at Teheran (Nov.-Dec. 1943), which was the occasion of the first meeting of Roosevelt and Stalin, and also the last time Churchill was able to confer with them on equal terms. Edmonds makes clear that the British prime minister had to fight hard at Teheran to maintain his position. Photos.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

This is yet another attempt to discover the origins of the Cold War in the wartime relationship of Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin. It is not a tripartite biography, nor does Edmonds adhere to the "great man" theory of history. Still, he is correct in placing his focus on the personalities of "the big three." Their actions were equally constrained by their respective national matrixes and the dynamics of their personal relationship. He begins his narrative with Hitler's rise to power, thus allowing him to consider the philosophical baggage each man brought to the wartime conference table. Edmonds has consulted previously unavailable Soviet documents, and in that sense performs a valuable historical service. Though narrow in its scope, this is nonetheless an important historical work.
- J.K. Sweeney, South Dakota State Univ., Brookings
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: W W Norton & Co Inc
• Publication date: 1992
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0393309142
• ISBN 13: 9780393309140
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 608