1. Nazi – Soviet Non-Aggression Pact
Growth of European Tensions

3. Background
One of the most surprising diplomatic events in history as the Germans and the Russians hated and feared one another.
In August 1939, the German Foreign Minister, Joachim von Ribbentrop, flew to Moscow to meet with Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov and to sign a Non-Aggression Pact.

4. Nazi foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop (left), Soviet leader Joseph Stalin (centre), and Soviet foreign minister Viacheslav Molotov (right) at the signing of the nonaggression pact between Germany and the Soviet Union. Moscow, Soviet Union, August 1939.

5. Stalin’s Motives
Aimed to avoid war or delay the war in order to have time to strengthen his position. Overly states: ‘Russia’s chief concern was still to avoid involvement in any war, at any costs. Soviet foreign policy aimed to play one power off against another in the hope of escaping the impending conflict. (Overy, R. J., The Origins of the Second World War, pg 59)
He distrusted Britain and France – the purpose of the Munich Agreement had been to push Hitler eastward.
A deal with Hitler over Poland would enable Germany to fight Britain and France in the west giving Russia enough time to prepare its own defences.

6. Hitler’s Motives
Hitler had known goals of expanding eastward and destroying communism in order to achieve lebensraum.
It allowed Hitler to invade Poland free from he threat of Soviet intervention, allowing for a quick victory.
Germany would be able to avoid a two-front war and Hitler could quickly defeat Britain and France.

7. Main Terms
Germany and the Soviet Union would not engage in hostilities for 10 years.
If either country became involved in a conflict with a 3rd party, the other country would remain neutral (giving Hitler the green light to invade Poland.)
The pact would start immediately.
The pact also contained Secret Protocols which became known after That Germany would take western Poland and Lithuania and the Soviet Union would take eastern Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Bessarabia (in Romania).

9. Result Within a week of the Pact, Germany invaded Poland.
Two days later on 3rd of September 1939, Britain and France declared war on Germany. (The Anglo-Polish Common Defence Act had been signed two days after the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact.)
Soviet Union invaded Poland on the 17th of September.
Poland surrendered on September 26th.

11. Past HSC Questions Growth in European Tensions
2006 – Evaluate the views that the dictators Hitler and Mussolini were primarily responsible for the tensions that lead to the outbreak of war in Europe in 1939.
2008 – Assess the significance of the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact to the outbreak of war in 1939.
2009 – To what extent was the policy of appeasement responsible for the outbreak of war in Europe in 1939.