▁so ▁their ▁govern ments ▁usually ▁kept ▁their ▁policy ▁in ▁line ▁with ▁the ▁wishes ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union , ▁although ▁national istic ▁forces ▁and ▁press ures ▁within ▁the ▁satellite ▁states ▁played ▁a ▁part ▁in ▁causing ▁some ▁deviation ▁from ▁strict ▁Soviet ▁rule . ▁ ▁Ten or ▁of ▁Soviet – U . S . ▁relations ▁The ▁USS R ▁ur g ently ▁needed ▁m un itions , ▁food ▁and ▁fuel ▁that ▁was ▁provided ▁by ▁the ▁U . S . ▁and ▁also ▁Britain , ▁primarily ▁through ▁L end ▁Le ase . ▁The ▁three ▁power ▁kept ▁in ▁regular ▁contact , ▁with ▁St alin ▁trying ▁to ▁maintain ▁a ▁ve il ▁of ▁secre cy ▁over ▁internal ▁affairs . ▁ ▁Church ill ▁and ▁other ▁top ▁S ovi ets ▁visited ▁Moscow , ▁as ▁did ▁Ro ose vel t ' s ▁top ▁a ide ▁Harry ▁Hop kins . ▁St alin ▁repeatedly ▁requested ▁that ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁Britain ▁open ▁a ▁second ▁front ▁on ▁the ▁European ▁continent ; ▁but ▁the ▁Al lied ▁invasion ▁did ▁not ▁occur ▁until ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁more ▁than ▁two ▁years ▁later . ▁In ▁the ▁meant ime , ▁the ▁Rus si ans ▁suffered ▁high ▁cas ual ties , ▁and ▁the ▁S ovi ets ▁faced ▁the ▁br unt ▁of ▁German ▁strength . ▁The ▁Al lies ▁pointed ▁out ▁that ▁their ▁int ensive ▁air ▁bomb ard ment ▁was ▁a ▁major ▁factor ▁that ▁St alin ▁ignored . ▁ ▁William ▁H . ▁Mc Ne ill , ▁America , ▁Britain , ▁& ▁Russia : ▁their ▁co - operation ▁and ▁conflict , ▁ 1 9