The Nazi-Soviet Pact (23 Aug 1938) Flashcards
Since when had Hitler been concerned about the threat of Hitler?
Since 1933
Why had Stalin been fixated on the threat of Hitler since 1933?
One of Hitler’s declared foreign policy aims was to destroy Communism
What had Stalin done in 1934 in a hope of increasing the USSR’s security?
Joined the League of Nations - hoping the League would protect him from Germany
Why did Stalin stop believing in the League of Nations as an effective peacekeeping institution?
After its failure and inaction in Abyssinia and the Spanish Civil War
Why was Stalin particularly suspicious of Britain?
Many British politicians in the 1930s had welcomed the rise of Hitler as a counter-weight to the threat of the spread of Communism
What did most British politicians see as the biggest threat to world peace in the 1930s?
Communism
Who did Stalin sign a treaty with in 1935?
France
When did Stalin sign a treaty with France?
1935
What was the 1935 agreement between France and the USSR?
The Franco-Soviet Treaty of Mutual Assistance
i.e. an agreement to help each other against the threat of Nazi Germany
Why did Stalin lose faith in the Franco-Soviet treaty?
Because the French failed to do anything to stop the Germans remilitarising the Rhineland - despite it being right on their border!
Which agreement in the late 1930s deepened Stalin’s concerns?
The Munich Agreement - Stalin was not consulted about it
What did Stalin conclude after the Munich Agreement?
The Britain and France were powerless to stop Hitler’s Germany
When did Stalin meet with the leaders of Britain and France to discuss a possible alliance?
In March 1939
When Stalin met with Britain and France in March 1939, why did the meeting end in agreement? (2)
- Chamberlain did not trust Stalin and therefore did not want to commit Britain to an alliance.
- Stalin saw Chamberlain’s guarantee of support to Poland as him supporting a potential future enemy .
What was ongoing during the spring and summer of 1939 between Britain, France and the USSR?
Negotiations about a potential alliance
Whilst discussions were ongoing between Britain, France and the USSR, who else was Stalin receiving visits from?
The Nazi foreign minister, Ribbentrop (RIBBEN – TROP)
In August 1939, who did Stalin choose to side with: Britain and France or the Nazis?
The Nazis
When was the Nazi-Soviet Pact announced to the world?
23 August 1939
(approx. 1 week before Hitler invaded Poland on 1 Sept. 1939)
What were the details of the Nazi-Soviet Pact? (2)
- Germany and the USSR agreed not to attack one another for 10 years
- They agreed (secretly) to divide Poland between them
What did Hitler gain from the Nazi-Soviet Pact? (2)
- It gave him half of Poland
- It ensured he would not face a war on two fronts
What did Stalin gain from the Nazi-Soviet Pact?
It bought him time to rearm.
He still expected Hitler to attack at some point.
What were the consequences of the Nazi-Soviet Pact for Poland?
Dire.
On 1st September 1939, Hitler invaded Poland.
(The USSR invaded two weeks later, on 17 Sept. 1939)
When Hitler invaded Poland, what did he expect Britain and France would do?
Nothing
What did Britain and France do?
They declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939 (two days after the war started)
When did Britain and France declare war on Britain and France?
3 September 1939
Why was the Nazi-Soviet Pact of August 1939 a surprise?
The Nazis and Soviets hated each other, so an alliance was surprising
What did Stalin say about the Nazi-Soviet Pact in 1941?
‘We secured peace for our country for 18 months, which enabled us to make military preparations.’
What did Hitler say when Stalin agreed to the Nazi-Soviet Pact?
‘Stalin has agree… I have the world in my pocket.’
What did historian Steve Waugh write about the Nazi-Soviet Pact?
‘The pact was the final cause of war’ because Hitler could invade Poland without interference from the USSR
