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

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. (Mar.)