Persian transport corridor during the Great Patriotic War (1941–1945)

The study aims to analyze the economic cooperation between the USSR, USA and Great Britain via lend-lease during the Great Patriotic War. Deliveries were made in accordance with the Moscow, Washington, London and Ottawa Protocols of supplying the Soviet Union. One of the major routes of the Lend-Lease became the Trans-Iranian Railway via which about 24% of the total cargo was received. Automotive vehicles, machinery and food made up a large part of the cargo passing through the Persian Corridor. This route was one of the longest. Ships carrying military supplies from the Allies via the Caspian Sea were shelled by Nazi aircraft. Interaction of the Soviet Union, Britain and the United States in Iran was aimed at the modernization of its transport network, construction of new railways and docks, creation of assembly plants for imported military equipment. Assessing the Anglo-American military-technical assistance in achieving Victory in the Great Patriotic war, it is necessary to consider that the greatest number of goods in the Soviet Union came after the radical turning point in the war. In the early period of the war, when the Soviet Union desperately needed the support of allies, the initial supply was low. At the same time, we cannot underestimate the help received by the Soviet Union through the lend-lease because it played a certain role in equipping the Red Army with weapons and military equipment. Military and economic cooperation of the allied powers was one of the factors contributing to Victory over fascism in the Second World War.

Citation: E.E. Krasnozhenova, Persian transport corridor during the Great Patriotic War (1941–1945), St. Petersburg State Polytechnical University Journal. Humanities and Social Sciences, 8 (3) (2017) 27–36. DOI: 10.18721/JHSS.8303