Behind the scenes of the war. Stalin, the Nazis and the West

Are you sure World War II ended in 1945?

The end of World War II was supposed to bring “freedom” to countries that had suffered from Nazi occupation, but for millions of people it did not end until the fall of communism. In the summer of 1945, many countries in Eastern Europe simply exchanged the power of one tyrant, Adolf Hitler, for that of another, Joseph Stalin. Ukraine was among them. Why did this happen? It remains one of the most disturbing questions in world history and is the basis of Lawrence Ries’s research.

Behind the Scenes of World War II is the story of the West’s relationship with Joseph Stalin, a story that uses materials only available since the opening of Russian archives, as well as eyewitness accounts of the period. A gripping mix of international politics and the harrowing personal experiences of post-Soviet residents, it will force you to rethink everything you know about World War II.