Treaty of Non-Aggression between Germany and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
The Treaty of Non-Aggression between Germany and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, also known as the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, was a non-aggression treaty between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. By the time it was signed in 1939, Nazi Germany had already signed non-aggression pacts with the United Kingdom and Poland,[1] and Poland, France, and the UK had rejected proposed mutual defense pacts with the USSR.[2]
Myths surrounding the treaty
One of the most common myths is that the Nazis and the Soviets split Poland apart and shared with themselves, as this was apparently part of the pact. The real evidence states that the Soviet Union signed the pact to not partition Poland, but rather that if the Polish Army was defeated, and the Polish government would retreat beyond the line that the USSR and Nazi Germany agreed upon, then the Nazis would not penetrate further beyond that line.[3]
Another common myth is that the Soviet Union invaded Poland, despite evidence showing that Poland never declared war with the Soviet Union, and the League of Nations did not declare that the Soviet Union invaded a member state.[4]
References
- ↑ "The Truth About The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact" (2018-05-09). Politsturm. Archived from the original on 2021-01-23. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
- ↑ Nikos Mottas (2016-07-21). "The Truth about the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and the Imperialist Propaganda" In Defense of Communism. Archived from the original on 2021-10-18. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
- ↑ “The point here was that, if the Polish army were beaten, it and the Polish government could retreat beyond the line of Soviet interest, and so find shelter, since Hitler had agreed not to penetrate further into Poland than that line.”
Grover Furr. "Did the Soviet Union Invade Poland in September 1939?" - ↑ “The Polish government declared war on Germany when Germany invaded on September 1, 1939. It did not declare war on the USSR. [...] Article 16 of the League of Nations Covenant required members to take trade and economic sanctions against any member who "resorted to war". No country took any sanctions against the USSR. No country broke diplomatic relations with the USSR over this action.”
Grover Furr. "Did the Soviet Union Invade Poland in September 1939?"