Comments by "Steve Watson" (@stevewatson6839) on "Did Stalin seek a Separate Peace with Hitler in WW2? | TIK Q&A 21" video.

  1. p488, "Lidell Hart's History of the Second World War" refers to Molotov meeting Ribbentrop in June '43 in Kirovograd, which was behind German lines at this point. His evidence is from German officers who attended as advisors. Molotov wanted restoration of the pre-war borders; Ribbentrop the Dneiper. The talks grounded on this disparity, and broke down when they leaked to the allies. The mention of source probably refers back to his "The Other Side of the Hill", which I haven't seen. I think it rather foolish to think contacts and even talks were not going on even as battle raged. We see this in practically every other conflict; unconconditional surrender seems to be a very particular Mid-Twen-Cen and on US aberration. PRC and ROC have even gone so far as to have very entangled their economies with one another all the while insisting they are each the legitimate government of China. Indirect converstaions are ongoing between Russia and Ukraine; there are EU-Iran conversations; Israeli-Arab negotiations, etc. All seem mired by US intransigence as much as anything else.
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