In the Winter War of 1939–1940 the Soviets invaded Finland, prompting Britain and France to sponsor a motion expelling the USSR from the League of Nations. At the time, China was a member of the League Council, and it refused to exercise its power of veto on the motion.8 The Soviets were furious at Chiang’s failure to prevent their expulsion, and for the rest of China’s war with Japan the relationship between Chiang and Stalin would remain deeply mistrustful. China would have to fight Japan without further major Soviet assistance.
