In August 1941, the Allies launched Operation Dervish. This was the first of the Arctic Convoys, ships which sailed from the United Kingdom, Iceland and North America, and brought essential supplies to the Soviet Union.
After the successful launch of Operation Barbarossa, the USSR was in desperate need of raw materials, fuel, military equipment and food. Realizing the importance of keeping the Germans fighting on two fronts, Churchill offered a helping hand to Stalin.
