ABSTRACT
In the history of World War II it is often popular to talk about different turning points, and many events can qualify for the title. The war entry of the United States a few days later actually provided a short term relief for the Germans considering the global situation. The Soviet winter offensive 1941/1942 was the first successful large-scale offensive against the German Army in World War II. At the beginning of February Sir Orme Sargent, deputy under-secretary of state in the Foreign Office (FO), wrote a minute on the possible development of the war, speculating about its long term implications. Later in February Anthony Eden presented a memorandum to the War Cabinet, which was a copy of a letter he had written to Lord Halifax, now British ambassador in Washington but still in practice a member of the War Cabinet.
