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