Nazi–Soviet Pact Worksheets
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Summary
- Background and Context
- Key Provisions of the Pact
- Immediate Consequences
- Betrayal and Legacy
Key Facts And Information
Let’s know more about the Nazi–Soviet Pact!
The Nazi–Soviet Pact is also known as the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, a non-aggression agreement signed between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in August 1939. This included secret protocols that divided Eastern Europe into spheres of influence, with both powers agreeing not to attack each other. This pact gave Germany the green light to invade Poland without expecting counter-attacks from the Soviets; hence, the outbreak of the Second World War. The pact lasted until 1941 when Germany invaded the Soviet Union and broke the pact.
Nazi–Soviet Parade, Brest-Litovsk, Poland, 22 September, 1939
Background and Context of the Nazi-Soviet Pact
- Post-WWI Tensions (1918–1930s): Following the First World War and the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was heavily sanctioned through reparations, loss of territories and limits on its military. This triggered Adolf Hitler’s beliefs and resentment, which led to his eventual rise to power in 1933, as he aimed to reverse these humiliations and expand Germany’s territories. Meanwhile, the Soviet Union was in isolation due to the general distrust of Joseph Stalin’s communist regime and the internal purges.
- The Growing Threat of War (Mid-1930s): Hitler’s goals became clear as he remilitarised the Rhineland, annexed Austria and seized Czechoslovakia. The League of Nations failed to stop him, showing how weak efforts for world peace really were, which worried both the West and the Soviet Union.
- The Munich Agreement (1938): In 1938, Britain and France, in an appeal to Hitler through the Munich Agreement, allowed Hitler to annex parts of Czechoslovakia. The Soviet Union was excluded from these talks, which did nothing but further build Stalin’s distrust of the West and fears of Nazi expansion towards the Soviet Union.
- Soviet–Western Talks Breakdown (1939): In 1939, the Soviet Union sought an anti-Nazi alliance with Britain and France, but negotiations failed due to mutual distrust, especially regarding Eastern Europe. The West hesitated to ally with Stalin, fearing his communist regime.
- Nazi–Soviet Negotiations (Summer 1939): With the threat of war, Hitler offered a non-aggression pact to Stalin, promising gains in the East. Lacking confidence in the West against Hitler, an opportunity for Stalin presented itself through this pact, as it would enable him to prepare for war and regain territories lost after the First World War.
- On 23 August 1939, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression pact. The agreement included secret protocols to divide Eastern Europe, allowing both countries to expand without conflict.
- Hitler’s main goal was to further expand German territory in Europe and eventually the Soviet Union, as part of his goal for Lebensraum (living space) for the German people.
- Securing the non-aggression pact would help avoid a two-front war for Germany and allow them to focus on invading Poland without Soviet interference.
- This would provide him time to strengthen Germany’s military forces and focus on expanding their territories into Western Europe.
- Lebensraum means ‘living space’ in German. Hitler believed that Germany needed to expand its territory further to provide space and resources for its growing population. The Nazi–Soviet pact gave him the opportunity to pursue this expansion without immediate Soviet opposition.
Territories annexed by Nazi Germany
- Meanwhile, the Soviet Union under Stalin was isolated diplomatically due to tense relationships with Western nations like Britain and France. They viewed Soviet communism with great suspicion and didn’t fully trust it.
- As with Hitler’s plans, the pact provided Stalin an opportunity to buy time and prepare the Soviet military, which was still recovering from internal purges and modernisation efforts.
- He hoped that the pact would allow the Soviet Union to regain lost territories from the First World War, as it included secret protocols dividing parts of Eastern Europe into German and Soviet influence.
- Finally, he saw the pact as an essential move to ensure Soviet security while delaying the inevitable conflict with Germany as he didn’t believe the Western powers’ willingness to confront Hitler.
Key Provisions of the Nazi-Soviet Pact
- Vyacheslav Molotov, the Soviet People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs, and Joachim von Ribbentrop, Nazi Germany’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, officially signed the Nazi–Soviet Pact in Moscow, Soviet Union, on 23 August 1939. It was supposed to last for ten years with an option for renewal.
- It was mainly a non-aggression agreement between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. It meant that both countries promised not to attack or support any military actions against each other.
- The pact included secret protocols that were not a part of the official agreement. They were mainly kept secret to avoid backlash from other countries. It also hid the real intentions of both regimes. The Western powers were unaware of these arrangements, which divided Eastern Europe into spheres of influence.
- Germany took control of the western part of Poland, and the Soviet Union got the eastern half through the secret protocols. Both countries needed control over Poland because it acted as a buffer state and was necessary for their territorial expansion.
- As well as the eastern half of Poland, the Soviet Union also took over the Baltic States – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – and parts of Finland and Romania. Stalin wanted to protect its borders and get back areas lost after the First World War.
- The pact meant that Germany and the Soviet Union had to cooperate. This way, both could follow their goals without stopping each other.
- The agreement legitimised both countries. Hitler safeguarded his eastern side, letting him concentrate on growing in Western Europe. Meanwhile, Stalin sought to shield the Soviet Union from possible dangers from the West.
- The pact was seen as a temporary alliance. Both countries used it to pursue their interests while delaying inevitable conflict.
Immediate Consequences
- 1 September 1939: Germany invaded Poland, which officially started the Second World War. During this time, the world witnessed Hitler’s military tactic known as the Blitzkrieg, which helped them swiftly gain control and expand their territories.
- 3 September 1939: After the invasion of Poland, the United Kingdom and France declared war on Germany. They were initially only able to provide limited military assistance to Poland, which led to the Polish forces becoming overwhelmed by Germany’s military tactics before significant help could arrive.
- 17 September 1939: The Soviet Union then invaded Poland from the east as per the Nazi–Soviet Pact’s secret protocols. By the end of September, Germany and the Soviet Union had split Poland.
- September–November 1939: After Poland was split up, both countries strengthened their control. The Soviet Union invaded Finland (Winter War) and took over parts of Romania.
- September 1939 – April 1940: During this period, known as the Phoney War, the UK and France made defensive preparations but saw little military engagement. The Allies hesitated to attack, uncertain of Germany’s next move and wanting to avoid heavy losses, while Germany consolidated control in Poland and prepared for future invasions in Western Europe.
- May 1940: Germany attacked Western Europe, going after France and the Low Countries (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg). The Nazi–Soviet Pact removed the threat of Soviet involvement, allowing Germany to focus on the West. This led to the fast defeat of France and strengthened Germany’s power in Europe.
- June 1940: The Soviet Union took control of the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), greatly growing its power in Eastern Europe.
- 1939–1940: The pact allowed both totalitarian regimes to follow aggressive policies without immediate threats
between them. The period of collaboration and expansion went on until the alliance broke down in June 1941. - 1940–1941: Germany kept strengthening its control over Western Europe while the Soviet Union’s territories expanded in Eastern Europe. This worried the Western powers, leading to fear of more expansion, distrust from opposite beliefs, and uncertainty about how long the alliance
would last.
Betrayal and Legacy
- Germany launched Operation Barbarossa on 22 June 1941, invading the Soviet Union. Hitler aimed to seize Soviet territories for resources and expand Germany’s eastern borders to create Lebensraum.
- The invasion happened because Hitler feared the Soviet Union was growing stronger. He wanted to attack before they could build up their military.
Operation Barbarossa Exhibit at the Defence of Brest Fortress Museum, Brest, Belarus
- Germany’s quick victories in Western Europe, especially in France, led Hitler and his generals to believe they could defeat the Soviet Union just as easily. They poorly underestimated Soviet strength and resistance.
- Even if Germany had some early success during the invasion, it turned into a long and costly war. The Germans lost the Battle of Stalingrad. It weakened their campaign against the Soviet Union, which eventually led to the fall of Nazi Germany.
- Eastern Europe was then split up after the war: Poland, Hungary and Romania ended up controlled by the Soviet Union, which became communist governments. Western Europe stayed with the US and its allies, keeping their democratic systems.
- After the First World War, Germany was divided into two parts, East and West, as decided by the Allies during the the Yalta and Potsdam meetings.
- The Soviets took control of the eastern side, establishing a communist government. Meanwhile, the United States, United Kingdom and France managed the western side and set up a democracy.
- This division marked the start of the Cold War that led to the Iron Curtain, which also changed how countries interacted worldwide.
Image Sources
- https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Desfile_conjunto_nazi-sovi%C3%A9tico_en_Brest-Livosk,_Polonia,_22_de_septiembre_de_1939_-_36141443913_Nazi-Soviet_parade_Brest-Livosk_Poland_1939-09-22.jpg
- https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Deutschesreich1939.png
- https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Detail_of_Operation_Barbarossa_Exhibit_-_Defence_of_Brest_Fortress_Museum_-_Brest_-_Belarus_(26814904283).jpg
Frequently Asked Questions About the Nazi-Soviet Pact
- What was the Nazi-Soviet Pact?
The Nazi-Soviet Pact, also known as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, was a non-aggression agreement signed between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union on 23 August 1939.
- Why did Germany and the Soviet Union sign the pact?
Both countries had strategic interests. Hitler wanted to avoid a two-front war, allowing him to focus on invading Poland and Western Europe. Stalin sought time to strengthen Soviet defences, as he was unprepared to face a German invasion. The pact allowed each side to avoid conflict with the other temporarily.
- How did other countries react to the Nazi-Soviet Pact?
The pact shocked other countries, notably Britain and France, as they had hoped for Soviet support against Germany. It effectively isolated Poland, which Germany attacked on 1 September 1939, and subsequently by the Soviet Union on 17 September 1939.