There Will Always Be An England

Soviet Russia, of course, signed a non-aggression pact with Nazi Germany at the beginning of World War II only to have the latter terminate the treaty with extreme prejudice with Operation Barbarossa.  Thereupon, the Russians became best buddies with the U.S. and U.K. The following is a perhaps apocryphal anecdote of the extent and suddenness of the change. The occasion was the visit of a British delegation, including Prime Minister Churchill, to Moscow in September 1941:

"[English General Ismay's] orderly, a Royal Marine, was shown the sights of Moscow by one of the Intourist guides.  'This,' said the Russian 'is the Eden Hotel, formerly Ribbentrop Hotel.  Here is Churchill Street, formerly Hitler Street.  Here is the Beaverbrook railway station, formerly Goering railway station.  Will you have a cigarette, comrade?'  The Marine replied, 'Thank you, comrade, formerly bastard!' "*

*Winston S. Churchill, The Second World War, vol. 3 "The Grand Alliance," (374).