Operation Unthinkable - A Secret Double Cross to Destroy the Soviet Union

This video is sponsored by MagellanTV. As World War II was coming to an end and the Nazi threat was being suppressed, the uncertainty of the new world order significantly worried Allied leaders, and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was especially wary of Joseph Stalin's unreliability. When the Soviet Union betrayed the Yalta Agreement and seized Poland, tensions between the two global powers increased exponentially. Churchill then summoned his top military leaders and urged them to develop a plan to confront his former allies and now potential adversaries. American General George S. Patton agreed, and even warned US Under

secret

ary of War Robert Patterson, saying: (QUOTE) “Let us keep our boots polished, our bayonets sharp, and present an image of strength and fortitude to these people.

This is the only language they understand and respect. If you don't, I would like to tell you that we have won a victory over the Germans and disarmed them, but we have lost the war.” From beginning to end, the trajectory of World War II was determined by careful calculations and fateful decisions made by Allied and Axis leaders. Only with hindsight can we review those decisions and draw conclusions about those who made them. Each episode of MagellanTV's documentary series "The Verdict of History" focuses on a different leader of the era, from Allied leaders Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin to Axis leaders Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini and the Emperor Hirohito.

The series showcases declassified documents and historical discoveries to provide a contemporary perspective on these powerful leaders who navigated the most intense conflicts of the 20th century. You can stream this series and over 3,000 other documentaries thanks to MagellanTV's special offer for Dark Docs viewers: a one-month free trial! With new content added weekly, explore increasingly interesting titles ranging from war and military to culture, science and nature. To support Dark Docs and receive your one-month free trial, visit try.magellantv.com/darkdocs   or click the link in the description below. Not the end yet In February 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Prime Minister Joseph Stalin met in Crimea at what would become known as the Yalta Conference to discuss the reorganization of Europe after that the war would end.

The goal of the meeting was not only to discuss collective security but also to reincorporate the liberated nations into Europe and provide them with self-determination. The Allies had liberated France and Belgium and were currently facing the Germans in the West. Meanwhile, the Soviets had driven the Nazis out of Poland, Romania and Bulgaria on the other front. The outcome of the war was clear and attention was now focused on restoring peace. However, each of the three heads of state had a private agenda. Roosevelt needed Soviet support against Japan for the incoming invasion and his participation in the United Nations.

Churchill demanded democratic governments and free elections for all countries in central and eastern Europe, especially Poland. And Stalin pushed for a sphere of political influence in Central and Eastern Europe, claiming it was a matter of national security for the Soviets. The Russian leader was also very interested in Poland, given its historical use as a corridor for invaders approaching Mother Russia. Stalin would claim that: (QUOTE) "For the Soviet government, the question of Poland was a question of honor because the Russians had sinned gravely against Poland, the Soviet government was trying to atone for those sins, the Soviet Union is interested in the creation of a powerful, free and independent Poland." Still, the Soviets would keep the territory they had annexed from Eastern Poland in 1939, and in return Poland would receive territorial expansion toward the West at Germany's expense.

Despite the Soviet-sponsored provisional government in Poland and the occupation of the country by the Red Army, the communist leader promised them free elections. However, even when the agreement was signed on paper, the Soviets were more interested in creating puppet states and did not abandon their area of ​​influence as they promised. Churchill was wary of the spread of communism throughout Europe and the English Isles, and wrote to his Foreign Secretary: (QUOTE) “Terrible things have happened. A tide of Russian domination is advancing. “We must now focus our hopes on a prompt and rapid confrontation and agreement with Russia.” A ridiculous idea A few days before the conflict ended, the British Prime Minister summoned his Chiefs of Staff.

Churchill wanted to be sure that the Allied forces could confront the Red Army and asked if they could potentially drive the Russians back from the Elbe River. Additionally, Churchill demanded that a plan be devised that took into account what was left of Germany's economy, workforce, and troops. A date was then set for the start of the assault. It would take place on 1 July 1945. However, the army chief, General Sir Alan Brooke, disapproved of the plan. Comparing the Prime Minister to a warmonger, Brook wrote in his diary that Churchill was: (QUOTE) “longing for another war.” Meanwhile, American General George S.

Patton seemed to agree with the British prime minister. Patton reportedly advised Under

secret

ary of War Robert Patterson to keep the U.S. military positioned in Europe and skirting Soviet lines. If the Russians did not withdraw, he advocated driving them back in the name of Eastern European freedom. Patton stated that: (QUOTE) “We did not come here to acquire jurisdiction over the people or their countries. We came to give them back the right to govern themselves. We must finish the job now, while we are here and ready, or later, under less favorable circumstances.” However, the politicians in Washington and the American soldiers still in the European theater were exhausted and just wanted everyone to come home after such an unfathomable war.

And forces were still needed in the Pacific for the invasion of Japan. Churchill was very concerned that the Allied withdrawal would give the Soviets a strong position, especially in Western Europe. In May 1945, the Joint Planning Staff of the British Armed Forces presented a plan known as Operation Unthinkable. The first draft called for a surprise attack against the Soviets stationed in Germany. The assessment concluded that British and American morale was still high and that the Allies were supported by Polish and German forces. The main objective was:   (QUOTE) "To impose on Russia the will of the United States and the British Empire." The Allies strove to secure a fair deal for Poland, which the Joint Planning Staff believed could force the Russians to comply with Allied terms.

However, it was quite possible that this was not the case, and the report stated that: (QUOTE) “It is up to the Russians to decide. If they want a total war, they are in a position to have it.” Operation Unthinkable The British Prime Minister stood firm, and rightly so. He was aware that his allies were achieving successful results with the Manhattan Project and that a nuclear attack on Moscow, Stalingrad or kyiv was imminent if Stalin did not comply. The plan provided for a surprise attack on Dresden with 47 allied divisions. This amounted to almost half of the divisions available to British, American and Canadian forces.

However, the Chiefs of Staff Committee considered the idea unviable, as Soviet ground forces had a 2.5 to 1 advantage in Europe and the Middle East. Even with all American, British, and Polish forces, plus repurposed German prisoners of war, success would depend solely on the element of surprise. And it was also believed that Russia could have made an alliance with the Japanese, since the Pacific War had not yet ended. An offensive

operation

was therefore considered too risky. Stalin was aware of British intentions through his spy network in London, and it became clear that an offensive was being launched when Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery was ordered to stockpile captured German weaponry: (QUOTE) “for future use.” In June 1945, top Soviet commander Marshal Georgy Zhukov abruptly ordered a regrouping of Soviet forces in Poland, assuming defensive positions.

So it was likely that Moscow knew about the

operation

, but it could also be that the Soviets distrusted the Western Allies and were simply being cautious. Still, if the Russians knew the Allied plans, there would be no element of surprise to crush their chances of success. Operation Unthinkable had too many shortcomings, and the report warned that: (QUOTE) “If we are to embark on a war with Russia, we must be prepared to commit to an all-out war, which would be long and costly.” The Prime Minister received a copy of the draft in early June and realized that support from US forces would be indispensable, but he could not guarantee it.

The British president then concluded that the operation was: (QUOTE) “a purely hypothetical contingency.” Churchill then requested a follow-up report on measures that would: (QUOTE) "ensure the security of the British Isles in the event of war with Russia in the near future." A defensive response was then prepared, but the report concluded that Britain's odds were unfavorable given the United States' primary focus on the Pacific Theater. After the change of administration in the United States, President Harry S. Truman made it clear that the United States would not participate in Operation Unthinkable, stopping any chance of success. The staff were against the Prime Minister's wish to maintain bridgeheads in continental Europe as they would not lead to any operational advantage.

And although the British Navy and Air Force were superior to the Soviets, it was feared that they might retaliate with a massive rocket attack. Aftermath While Churchill was right to distrust the Soviet manual, the entire operation was buried forever after his electoral defeat in 1945. However, concerns about Soviet expansion led US military authorities to revise the initial idea just one year. after. But rising tensions between the Allies and the Soviets in Europe forced top American leaders to reconsider whether Operation Unthinkable was a feasible strategy or the creation of a distraught mind in power for too long. Still, a broader conflict could break out, and the matter was officially reopened on August 30, 1946, when General Dwight Eisenhower advocated a withdrawal to the Netherlands due to its proximity to British territories.

Operation Unthinkable is considered the first contingency plan of the Cold War era, and the plot was so secret that it was not fully revealed until 1998, long after the fall of the Soviet Union. Thanks for watching our video! Please let us know your opinion in the comments below. And don't forget to hit the like button and subscribe to all our Dark Documentaries channels for more historical anecdotes and secret operations.