SOVIET FOREIGN POLICY 1918-1941 (PART III) THE NAZI-SOVIET PACT 1939 Stalin knew that USSR was too weak to defeat Germany Still building up USSR’s industries.

SOVIET FOREIGN POLICY

1918-1941(PART III)

THE NAZI-SOVIET PACT 1939THE NAZI-SOVIET PACT 1939

• Stalin knew that USSR was too weak to defeat Germany

• Still building up USSR’s industries• Did not want to risk war unless he could win• Since he could not trust Britain and France, the

alternative was to come to terms with Germany• Signed the Nazi-Soviet Pact in Aug 1939• Agreed to divide Poland among themselves

– USSR would remain neutral in the imminent war along Germany’s eastern frontier with Poland

– Germany would not stop USSR from taking over the eastern part of Poland as well as Estonia and Latvia

– Germany agreed later not to oppose USSR taking over Lithuania as well

THE NAZI-SOVIET PACT 1939THE NAZI-SOVIET PACT 1939

THE NAZI-SOVIET PACT 1939THE NAZI-SOVIET PACT 1939

WHY STALIN SIGNED THE PACTWHY STALIN SIGNED THE PACT

1.1. Recovery of lost Recovery of lost USSR territoriesUSSR territories

2.2. Gained time for Gained time for StalinStalin

3.3. Stalin’s worry about Stalin’s worry about fighting a war on two fighting a war on two frontsfronts

4.4. Loss of confidence in Loss of confidence in Britain and FranceBritain and France

1.1. Recovery of lost Recovery of lost USSR territoriesUSSR territories

2.2. Gained time for Gained time for StalinStalin

3.3. Stalin’s worry about Stalin’s worry about fighting a war on two fighting a war on two frontsfronts

4.4. Loss of confidence in Loss of confidence in Britain and FranceBritain and France

Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov signs the Nazi-Soviet Non-aggression Pact while German Foreign Minister Von Ribbentrop and Soviet leader Stalin look on under a portrait of Lenin, August 23, 1939.

Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov signs the Nazi-Soviet Non-aggression Pact while German Foreign Minister Von Ribbentrop and Soviet leader Stalin look on under a portrait of Lenin, August 23, 1939.

Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov signs the Nazi-Soviet Non-aggression Pact while German Foreign Minister Von Ribbentrop and Soviet leader Stalin look on under a portrait of Lenin, August 23, 1939.

Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov signs the Nazi-Soviet Non-aggression Pact while German Foreign Minister Von Ribbentrop and Soviet leader Stalin look on under a portrait of Lenin, August 23, 1939.

NAZI LEADERS AFTER SIGNING THE PACT WITH USSRUpon signing the mutual non-aggression pact, German Foreign

Minister Ribbentrop (center) boasted that he could "fill a chest with all the treaties that he had violated." (Germany violated this treaty after twenty-two months.)

NAZI LEADERS AFTER SIGNING THE PACT WITH USSRUpon signing the mutual non-aggression pact, German Foreign

Minister Ribbentrop (center) boasted that he could "fill a chest with all the treaties that he had violated." (Germany violated this treaty after twenty-two months.)

1. Recovery of lost USSR territories

• Land lost in the Brest-Litovsk Treaty• Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania• Secret agreement that Russia could

recover territory lost to Poland during the Russian civil war period

• Advantage of moving USSR’s western frontier further away from the main cities and industries

• In the event of war with Germany, German forces would have to fight through all these territories before getting to USSR ie creation of a buffer buffer zonezone

WHY STALIN SIGNED THE WHY STALIN SIGNED THE PACTPACT

2.2. Gained time for StalinGained time for Stalin

• More time to build up his armed forces

• Why?• USSR would be in a better

position to fight Germany then• Probably one reason why the

USSR defeated Germany later in WWII

WHY STALIN SIGNED THE WHY STALIN SIGNED THE PACTPACT

3.3. Stalin’s worry about Stalin’s worry about fighting a war on two fighting a war on two frontsfronts

• West : Against Germany• East : Against Japan• Limit German expansion to the

east by redirecting it to the West towards France

• “Front seat” to watch the Western powers slug it out with Germany

WHY STALIN SIGNED THE WHY STALIN SIGNED THE PACTPACT

3.3. Stalin’s worry about Stalin’s worry about fighting a war on two fighting a war on two frontsfronts

• 1937 : China at war with Japan• USSR supported China• Stalin feared a Japanese attack

on Soviet territories in East Asia• Did not want to fight a war there

and in Europe• This war between Japan and

USSR never materialized but it seemed very likely at that time

WHY STALIN SIGNED THE WHY STALIN SIGNED THE PACTPACT

WORLD WAR II

• WWII started in Sep 1939 with Hitler’s WWII started in Sep 1939 with Hitler’s invasion of Poland on 1 Sep 1939invasion of Poland on 1 Sep 1939

• As agreed in the Nazi-Soviet Pact, Stalin As agreed in the Nazi-Soviet Pact, Stalin moved into eastern Poland, Estonia, Latvia & moved into eastern Poland, Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania at the same timeLithuania at the same time

• Less than 2 years later, in June 1941, Less than 2 years later, in June 1941, Germany attacked USSRGermany attacked USSR

• There was no declaration of war by GermanyThere was no declaration of war by Germany• 3,000,000 German troops poured into USSR in 3,000,000 German troops poured into USSR in

one of the biggest invasions in world historyone of the biggest invasions in world history• The Soviet army was swept before itThe Soviet army was swept before it• Thus began what the Russians call “The Great Thus began what the Russians call “The Great

Patriot War”Patriot War”

German attack on USSR German attack on USSR 19411941

WORLD WAR II

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Information and image sources– Moreira J., World in Transition – Perspectives on

Modern World History, Singapore : SNP Education Pte Ltd, 2000.

– Kelly N. and Shuter J., As It Was Lived – A History of the Modern World, Singapore : Pearson Education Asia Pte Ltd, 2000.

– Lim S H, Tham Y P, Wang Z and Yeo L, Inroads – Modern World History, Singapore : Oxford University Press, 2000.

– Tate N., A History of the Modern World, Singapore : Federal Publications, 1995.