"Poland, of course, was the key country. I remember Stalin telling me that the plains of Poland were the invasion route of Europe to Russia and always had been, and therefore he had to control Poland"

This quote by W. Averell Harriman talks to the significance of Poland in the eyes of Stalin. Poland was viewed as an essential country due to its strategic area. Stalin thought that the plains of Poland were the invasion route of Europe to Russia, and hence he felt the need to control it. This quote highlights the importance of Poland in the eyes of Stalin, and how he saw it as a needed part of his technique. It likewise talks to the power characteristics of the time, with Stalin feeling the need to manage Poland in order to protect Russia from possible intrusions. This quote is a reminder of the significance of Poland in the eyes of Stalin, and how he saw it as a needed part of his method.