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. According to Grover Furr, who translated and studied the original document himself, the "partition" was actually establishing "spheres of influence" over Poland, which were not defined in the document and thus were loosely defined.
Furthermore, 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]
When Poland fell and its government fled (effectively rendering Poland a non-state and unable to organise a defence), the Nazis would have had free range to push up to the USSR border. This would've not only compromised the national security of the Soviet Union, but would've resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands if not millions more Jews.[4] Therefore the Red Army moved in to secure a buffer area as well as help evacuate civilians from the Nazis.
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 or other countries did not declare that the Soviet Union invaded a member state.[5]
Timeline
Leading up to World War II, a number of European countries formed non-aggression pacts or outright military alliances with Germany in an attempt to quell invasion.
| Signatories | Treaty | Date Signed |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom France Italy Germany |
Four-Power Pact | 15 July 1933 |
| Poland Germany |
German-Polish Declaration of Non-Aggression | 26 January 1934 |
| France Germany |
Franco-German Declaration | 6 December 1938 |
| ItalyGermany | Pact of Steel | 22 May 1939 |
| Denmark Germany |
German-Danish Non-Aggression Pact | 31 May 1939 |
| Estonia Germany |
German-Estonian Non-Aggression Pact | 7 June 1939 |
| Latvia Germany |
German-Latvian Non-Aggression Pact | 7 June 1939 |
| USSR Germany |
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact | 23 August 1939 |
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?" - ↑ No author (1943).: Russia Helped 1,750,000 Jews to Escape Nazis, Says James N. Rosenberg. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Archived from the original on 2021-08-21. Retrieved on 2022-10-02.
- ↑ “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?"