>>But that didn't stop the habit of approaching maps with scissors. Remember just one word: Yalta.
>
>Hmm. Haven't time to study in detail but, as I understand it, the western allies had to kowtow to Uncle Joe's demands in order to get his cooperation and continued alliance. How does this detract from Stalin's megalomania? UK & US did discuss how Germany was to be divided, but as an occupier (and as OUR buffer vs Stalin), but Stalin wanted all E Germany whereas we let W Germany become a sovereign self-governing state. The unfairest part of all was Stalin's bringing Poland into his influence, a country that had fought WITH him, and Britain's reason for entering the war in the 1st place.

OTOH, Yugoslavia was divided 50:50 between Britain and USSR, and Stalin had simply sold Greek partisans and ordered them to stand down after the war. While the first didn't really work (Tito proclaimed a federal republic as early as 1943), Greece became a kingdom again and was very undemocratic until late sixties.