Nazi Soviet Pact

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BACKGROUND
- Stalin had been very worried about German threats to the Soviet Union since Hitler came to power in 1933
- Hitler had openly stated that he wanted Soviet land for his Lebensraum
Stalin tried to create alliances with Britain and France but to no avail
- In 1934 Stalin took the USSR into the League of Nations as a guarantee against German aggression.

The League Of Nations
- Stalin gained no satisfaction from the League. Instead he saw failures
- Abyssinia
- Spanish Civil War
- German rearmament

Britain and France

Britain:
Some welcomed a strong Germany as a force to fight Communism.
Communism was seen as a bigger threat than Hitler

France:
Stalin signed a pact with France in 1935
He did not trust the French to keep to it- especially after Rhineland

The Munich Agreement
- This agreement made Stalin even more wary.
- Stalin was not consulted about the agreement
- Stalin concluded that Britain and France were powerless to stop Hitler
Or that they were happy for Hitler to take over Eastern Europe and the USSR

The Next Moves
Despite misgivings Stalin was still prepared to talk to Britain and France about an alliance.
The three countries met in March 1939.
Chamberlain was reluctant to commit Britain.
Stalin believed that Britain and France made things worse by guaranteeing to defend Poland if it were attacked.
Chamberlain saw the guarantee as a warning to Hitler; Stalin saw it as support for a potential enemy.

A Twist in the tale!
Negotiations continued between Britain, France and the USSR throughout Spring and Summer 1939. Stalin, however, was also getting visits from Nazi foreign minister Ribbentrop to discuss a Nazi-Soviet pact.

The deed is done!
On 24 August 1939 Stalin made his decision and signed a pact with Germany. The world was shocked as two arch enemies promised not to attack each other. Privately they also agreed to divide Poland.

Why did Stalin sign the pact?
1. Stalin was not convinced that Britain and France would be strong and reliable allies against Hitler.
2. He also wanted large parts of eastern Poland.
3. He did not believe that Hitler would keep his word. He wanted time to build up his forces.