World War and the Growth of Global Power 253Britain. The British were not eager to open another theater, leading Stalin to
accuse Churchill of allowing the Soviet Union to fight Germany virtually
alone and continue to lose men and see its land destroyed. The Soviets accused
the British of being willing to “fight to the last Russian soldier.” The
Americans, however, agreed with Stalin on the need for another front to be
quickly established, recognizing the Soviet contributions. Roosevelt told
General Douglas MacArthur, American Commander in the Far East, “the
Russian armies are killing more Axis personnel and destroying more Axis
material than all twenty-five United Nations [the Allies] put together.” One
American officer explained, “if we’re to keep Russia in, save the Middle East,
India, and Burma, we’ve got to begin [air attacks in] West Europe, to be fol-
lowed by a land attack as soon as possible.” FDR agreed, and told the Soviet
Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov to “inform Mr. Stalin that [he] expected
the formation of a second front this year.” Roosevelt did not keep his word,
however, and instead gave in to British pressure for an invasion of North
Africa, Operation Torch, which led to invasions of Sicily and Italy rather than
the creation of a Second Front. Britain was more concerned with the Balkans
FIGuRE 5-3 u.S. soldier receiving blood plasma after wounded in
Sicily, August 9, 1943