--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We both agreed that Stalin was determined…" description: "\"We both agreed that Stalin was determined to hold out against the Germans. He told us he'd never let them get to Moscow. But if he was wrong, they'd go..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f98/w-averell-harriman-24082_determined_we-both-agreed-that-stalin-was-determine_2984331.jpg" --- # We both agreed that Stalin was determined to hold out… ![“We both agreed that Stalin was determined to hold out against the Germans. He told us he'd never let them get to Moscow. But if he was wrong, they'd go back to the Urals and fight. They'd never surrender.” quote by W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f98/w-averell-harriman-24082_determined_we-both-agreed-that-stalin-was-determine_2984331.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f98/w-averell-harriman-24082_determined_we-both-agreed-that-stalin-was-determine_2984331.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f98/w-averell-harriman-24082_determined_we-both-agreed-that-stalin-was-determine_2984331.jpg) > “We both agreed that Stalin was determined to hold out against the Germans. He told us he'd never let them get to Moscow. But if he was wrong, they'd go back to the Urals and fight. They'd never surrender.” [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stalin was believed to resist German advance, but misjudgment could shift battle to the Urals and prolong conflict. **In simple terms:** Stalin was thought to hold out, but could be wrong. Key Takeaway Recognize the limits of certainty in war planning. Themes war strategy leadership Mood cautious analytical Type historical strategic When to use this quote - WWII planning - political negotiations - military intelligence Key Concepts determination misjudgment military logistics Questions to Reflect On - How do leaders verify enemy resolve? - What contingency plans are essential? A Different Perspective Assuming unwavering resolve can overlook strategic vulnerabilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Determined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determined/) [Moscow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moscow/) [Never surrender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never-surrender/) [Surrender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrender/) ## Related quotes > [It was fear. 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Never give in no matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-kuhlman/living-with-faith-and-courage-is-something-that-life-requires-of-each/) [Kathryn Kuhlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-kuhlman/) > [Capture a shadow, dance with the wind, stand in a rainbow, begin at the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-anne-radmacher/capture-a-shadow-dance-with-the-wind-stand-in-a-rainbow-begin-at-the/) [Mary Anne Radmacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-anne-radmacher/) > [Never surrender, it's all about the faith that you got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/never-surrender-it-s-all-about-the-faith-that-you-got/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [Never give in, never surrender, Never allow despair to overcome your spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/never-give-in-never-surrender-never-allow-despair-to-overcome-your/) [Dieter F. 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They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/how-could-you-justify-giving-holland-twice-the-amount-of-money-that/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [I think Stalin was afraid of Roosevelt. Whenever Roosevelt spoke, he sort of watched him with a certain awe. He was afraid of Roosevelt's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/i-think-stalin-was-afraid-of-roosevelt-whenever-roosevelt-spoke-he/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [Much of the aid we first gave to Russia we took away from what we promised Britain. So in a sense, Britain participated in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/much-of-the-aid-we-first-gave-to-russia-we-took-away-from-what-we/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [There's a myth that Roosevelt gave Stalin Eastern Europe. I was with Roosevelt every day at Yalta.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/there-s-a-myth-that-roosevelt-gave-stalin-eastern-europe-i-was-with/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [This was the period when I used all the influence I had to get the British to abandon their export trade, and as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/this-was-the-period-when-i-used-all-the-influence-i-had-to-get-the/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [Roosevelt was the one who had the vision to change our policy from isolationism to world leadership. That was a terrific revolution. Our country's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/roosevelt-was-the-one-who-had-the-vision-to-change-our-policy-from/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [The Russians often took advantage of Lend-Lease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/the-russians-often-took-advantage-of-lend-lease/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [It never occurred to me that we would have as grandiose a program as the Marshall Plan, but I felt that we had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/it-never-occurred-to-me-that-we-would-have-as-grandiose-a-program-as/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [Yet the whole preamble of the second authorization act for the Marshall Plan showed the direction Congress was ready to take about breaking down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/yet-the-whole-preamble-of-the-second-authorization-act-for-the/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [I was quite ready to accept certain restrictions on the United States. After all, there was a great dollar shortage. It was quite clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/i-was-quite-ready-to-accept-certain-restrictions-on-the-united-states/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [We became convinced that, regardless of Stalin's awful brutality and his reign of terror, he was a great war leader. Without Stalin, they never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/we-became-convinced-that-regardless-of-stalin-s-awful-brutality-and/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [I always read everything on the desks of people I went to see in Moscow, London, Paris I found it quite useful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/i-always-read-everything-on-the-desks-of-people-i-went-to-see-in/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [I think there are telegrams that may or may not be available, which indicated that I very much had in mind the need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/i-think-there-are-telegrams-that-may-or-may-not-be-available-which/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [It was fear. He didn't want to see a united Germany. Stalin made it clear to me - I spoke with him many times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/it-was-fear-he-didn-t-want-to-see-a-united-germany-stalin-made-it/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [We were talking about really getting Europe on its feet. It was our hope that there would be a breakdown of trade barriers in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/we-were-talking-about-really-getting-europe-on-its-feet-it-was-our/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) [Explore all 25 W. Averell Harriman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) ## More Determined quotes > [Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/human-beings-have-an-innate-inner-drive-to-be-autonomous-self/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-not-willing-to-learn-no-one-can-help-you-if-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ignorance is not bliss — it is oblivion. Determined ignorance is the hastiest kind of oblivion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-wylie/ignorance-is-not-bliss-it-is-oblivion-determined-ignorance-is-the/) [Philip Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-wylie/) > [I was determined to be an actor and make a name in the industry, and hence, I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawazuddin-siddiqui/i-was-determined-to-be-an-actor-and-make-a-name-in-the-industry-and/) [Nawazuddin Siddiqui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawazuddin-siddiqui/) > [Always remember, there is more strength in you than you ever realized or even imagined. Certainly nothing can keep you down if you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/always-remember-there-is-more-strength-in-you-than-you-ever-realized/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) > [Early experience shapes the structure and function of the brain. This reveals the fundamental way in which gene expression is determined by experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-siegel/early-experience-shapes-the-structure-and-function-of-the-brain-this/) [Daniel J. Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-siegel/) > [The laws of thermodynamics, as empirically determined, express the approximate and probable behavior of systems of a great number of particles, or, more precisely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-willard-gibbs/the-laws-of-thermodynamics-as-empirically-determined-express-the/) J. Willard Gibbs > [The more we sense...our ultimate potential, the more determined we become to achieve it. It's the difference between your mother hounding you to practice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-l-dew/the-more-we-sense-our-ultimate-potential-the-more-determined-we/) [Sheri L. Dew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-l-dew/) > [How could a readiness for war in time of peace be safely prohibited, unless we could prohibit, in like manner, the preparations and establishments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/how-could-a-readiness-for-war-in-time-of-peace-be-safely-prohibited/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [Further conceive, I beg, that a stone, while continuing in motion, should be capable of thinking and knowing, that it is endeavoring, as far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/further-conceive-i-beg-that-a-stone-while-continuing-in-motion-should/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Your success will be determined by the quality of your relationships with people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/your-success-will-be-determined-by-the-quality-of-your-relationships/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [I've always been competitive and determined. It's part of my personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-simmonds/i-ve-always-been-competitive-and-determined-it-s-part-of-my/) [Ellie Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-simmonds/) > [We are determined that before the sun sets on this terrible struggle, Our Flag will be recognized throughout the World as a symbol of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-marshall/we-are-determined-that-before-the-sun-sets-on-this-terrible-struggle/) [George C. Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-marshall/) > [I am still determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-washington/i-am-still-determined-to-be-cheerful-and-happy-in-whatever-situation/) [Martha Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-washington/) [Browse all 2,245 Determined quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determined/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We both agreed that Stalin was determined to hold out against the Germans. He told us he'd never let them get to Moscow. But if he was wrong, they'd go back to the Urals and fight. They'd never surrender.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "W. 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