The Nazi-Soviet Pact, August 1939
On August 23, 1939, representatives from Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, such as myself and Adolf Hitler, met and signed the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, which guaranteed that our two countries would not attack each other.
In 1939, I knew that Adolf Hitler was preparing for war. Though he was hoping to conquer Poland without force as he had annexed Austria the year before, he did not want a two front war to break out. Since World War I had split Germany's forces, it had weakened their offensive and had therefore played a major role in Germany losing the war. Understandably, Hitler was determined not to repeat the same mistakes so he planned ahead and made a pact with the me, the leader of the Soviets: the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact.
On August 23rd 1939, a little over a week before the beginning of World War II, the German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop and the Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov signed the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, which is also referred to as the German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact and the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact.
Molotov signing the pact
Publicly, this agreement stated that Germany and the Soviet Union would not attack each other. If there were ever a problem between our two countries, it was to be handled civilly. It also meant that if Germany attacked Poland, then the Soviet Union would not come to its aid. Therefore, if Germany went to war against the West (especially France and Great Britain) over Poland, we would not enter the war because we had agreed not to do so.
In addition to this agreement, Ribbentrop and Molotov added a secret protocol onto the pact: in exchange for the Soviets agreeing to not join the possible future war, Germany would give the Soviets the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania). In addition, Poland was also to be divided between the two. The new territories gave the Soviet Union the inland that it needed to feel safe from an invasion from the West.
In 1939, I knew that Adolf Hitler was preparing for war. Though he was hoping to conquer Poland without force as he had annexed Austria the year before, he did not want a two front war to break out. Since World War I had split Germany's forces, it had weakened their offensive and had therefore played a major role in Germany losing the war. Understandably, Hitler was determined not to repeat the same mistakes so he planned ahead and made a pact with the me, the leader of the Soviets: the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact.
On August 23rd 1939, a little over a week before the beginning of World War II, the German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop and the Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov signed the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, which is also referred to as the German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact and the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact.
Molotov signing the pact
Publicly, this agreement stated that Germany and the Soviet Union would not attack each other. If there were ever a problem between our two countries, it was to be handled civilly. It also meant that if Germany attacked Poland, then the Soviet Union would not come to its aid. Therefore, if Germany went to war against the West (especially France and Great Britain) over Poland, we would not enter the war because we had agreed not to do so.
In addition to this agreement, Ribbentrop and Molotov added a secret protocol onto the pact: in exchange for the Soviets agreeing to not join the possible future war, Germany would give the Soviets the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania). In addition, Poland was also to be divided between the two. The new territories gave the Soviet Union the inland that it needed to feel safe from an invasion from the West.
A letter I wrote to Adolf Hitler regarding the pact
To the chancellor of the German Reich, Herr A. Hitler. I thank you for your letter. I hope that the German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact will mark a decisive turn for the better in the political relations between our two countries.
J. Stalin
J. Stalin
Caricatures of myself and Adolf Hitler
"Rendez Vous"