Since 1945, the story of who won World War II has mostly focused on the contributions of the United States, Britain, and France. Popular movies, books, and Western media have long celebrated these three powers for defeating Nazi Germany. However, the critical role played by the Soviet Union is often overlooked.
Soviet Victory in Berlin Overlooked
On May 2, 1945, Soviet troops captured Berlin and raised their flag over the Reichstag building. Just two days earlier, Adolf Hitler had taken his own life as the Soviet Army closed in on the city. Despite this major Soviet achievement, Western media rarely give it much attention.
On May 8–9, world leaders gathered in Moscow to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Surprisingly, leaders from the US, UK, and France were missing from this event, although China’s President Xi Jinping did attend. China, too, had fought alongside the Allies during the war. The absence of the Western nations was not unexpected, given the political divisions of today.
A Miscalculation That Changed the War
In June 1941, Hitler made a major mistake by invading the Soviet Union, which had been his ally until then. That attack changed the course of the war. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill knew right away that this was a turning point. The Soviet Union’s entry into the war gave the Allies a much-needed advantage.
The cost for the Soviet Union was massive. Over 10 million Soviet soldiers died during the war—far more than the 407,000 American, 383,000 British, or 567,000 French troops who were killed.
India’s Sacrifice Remembered
The Moscow event also highlighted the efforts of Indian soldiers during the war. More than two million soldiers from colonial India served on various fronts—in Italy, North Africa, and East Asia. Around 90,000 of them died. At the time, both Britain and France used soldiers from their colonies in large numbers, often putting them at the front lines to absorb enemy attacks.
Britain’s Desperate Situation
Britain had barely survived the relentless German air raids, known as the London Blitz, from September 1940 to May 1941. The Royal Air Force (RAF) defended the skies, and the Royal Navy kept German forces from crossing the sea. But Churchill knew that Britain couldn’t win the war alone. Even with Soviet support, he needed American help—both manpower and weapons.
Yet the United States was not eager to join another European war. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was still trying to recover the country from the Great Depression, and he didn’t want to enter a conflict that many Americans felt had little to do with them.
Japan’s Attack Brings the US In
But everything changed on December 7, 1941. Japan bombed the US naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, pulling America into the war. Churchill was having dinner with the US ambassador and President Roosevelt’s envoy when the news came through.
According to an article in Christian Science Monitor by Peter Grier: “A butler brought in a portable radio for the party to listen to the BBC Home Service. When the attack was confirmed Churchill leapt to his feet and said he must declare war on Japan at once. His guests dissuaded him from this impetuous act, historian Walter Reid recounts in Churchill 1940-1945, his book about wartime relations among the Allied leaders.”
Churchill immediately phoned Roosevelt and asked, “Mr. President, what’s this about Japan?”
FDR replied that it was true. “They were all in the same boat now.” For Churchill, this meant one thing: victory. Britain was no longer fighting alone. Churchill later wrote in his book on WWII, “Being saturated and satiated with emotion and sensation, I went to bed and slept the sleep of the saved and thankful.”
The War Turns in 1942
With four major powers—the US, Soviet Union, and the British and French Empires—now united, the tide of the war began to shift in 1942. By 1944, the Soviet army was making strong advances from the East.
Meanwhile, in Asia, Japan was winning early battles and took control of Singapore, Burma, and the Andaman Islands. But the war in the East ended abruptly when the US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.
A Divided World Emerges
The Soviet victory in Berlin not only ended the war but also shaped the post-war world. By 1945, the world had divided into two camps: the Western bloc led by the US and NATO, and the Eastern bloc led by the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact. The split extended even to Germany, which was divided into East and West.
During the Cold War that followed, Western media often downplayed the Soviet Union’s vital role in winning the war. Films like The Guns of Navarone and The Longest Day focused only on the bravery of American and British forces. Indian soldiers also remained invisible in most stories.
Today’s Geopolitical Shift
The Russia-Ukraine war has brought back memories of WWII’s brutal nature—reminders that many in Western Europe believed were part of the past. Former US President Donald Trump’s comments downplaying Europe’s military strength have made leaders in London, Berlin, and Paris even more uneasy.
At this year’s Victory Day in Moscow, Chinese President Xi Jinping was seen standing beside Russian President Vladimir Putin. This new closeness between China and Russia adds to Europe’s concerns.
A new global power structure is forming. By 2027, India is expected to become the world’s third-largest economy. That means two of the world’s top three economies—India and China—will once again be in Asia, signaling a shift away from Western dominance.
