The Nazi-Soviet Pact, 1939

What was the Nazi-Soviet Pact

The Nazi-Soviet Pact was a non-aggression pact between Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany. It was also known as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.

When was the Nazi-Soviet Pact signed?

The Nazi-Soviet Pact was signed in late August 1939.

What did the Nazi-Soviet Pact say?

The Nazi-Soviet Pact contained two main agreements between the USSR and Germany.

• ❖ Germany and the USSR agreed not to go to war, even though both sides knew that war between them was inevitable.
• ❖ They secretly agreed to partition Polish territory between them.

Why did Germany sign the Nazi-Soviet Pact?

Germany had a number of reasons for signing the Nazi-Soviet Pact.

• ❖ Hitler didn't want to meet opposition from the USSR while Germany invaded Poland.
• ❖ He didn't want to enter a war on two fronts, in which Germany fought the USSR in the east and Britain and France in the west. This was a mistake made in the First World War - German troops were divided between two fronts and this weakened their army.
• ❖ He wanted to deal with the threat from Britain and France and secure the Polish territory before entering into a war with the USSR.

Why did Russia sign the Nazi-Soviet Pact?

Stalin was aware of Hitler's intentions and knew their two countries would end up at war. However, in 1939 the Nazi-Soviet Pact suited his short-term ambitions.

• ❖ He mistrusted the western powers like Britain and France and didn't believe they would protect the USSR from Germany, especially after the Soviet Union was excluded from the Munich Conference.
• ❖ He hoped that war between Germany, Britain and France would give the USSR time to build up its army and strengthen its defences.
• ❖ He hoped to gain Polish territory, much of which had been taken from Russia at the end of the First World War.
• ❖ He also viewed the Allies as weak because of the policy of appeasement.

What was the significance of the Nazi-Soviet Pact?

The Nazi-Soviet Pact had a number of results including:

• ❖ It caused shock and consternation, especially in Britain and France. They had hoped the Soviet threat would prevent Germany from invading Poland.
• ❖ It meant Germany was confident about invading Poland, especially as Britain and France had so far presented no threat.
• ❖ On 1st September 1939, Germany invaded Poland. This was an immediate cause of the Second World War.

How did Britain and France react to the Nazi-Soviet Pact?

The Nazi-Soviet Pact had huge implications for Britain and France, both of whom were stunned by the news.

• ❖ This was a blow for Britain and France, and Chamberlain was blamed for Stalin choosing to side with Hitler. Opinion polls showed 84% of the British population had hoped for an alliance with the USSR.
• ❖ It had been previously believed that only the USSR could protect Poland from Hitler. The pact was a huge blow to the Polish.
• ❖ However, at the time there was a great mistrust of the communist Soviet Union, which helps to explain why Chamberlain didn't pursue an alliance with them more aggressively.

When did the Nazi-Soviet Pact end?

It remained in effect for almost two years. It was broken by the Germans when they invaded the USSR on 22nd June, 1941.