German-Soviet Non-aggression Pact (aug 23, 1939 – jun 22, 1941)

Description:

Causes:
1. In 1938, the Soviet Union was unable to reach an agreement with Britain and France against Nazi Germany
2. By early 1939 the Soviets faced the risk of having to resist the German military expansion in on Eastern Europe virtually alone, so they began to attempt to find another way around it
3. Joseph Stalin was attempting to reach an agreement with Britain and France, but in the end decided to reach an agreement with Germany instead
4. Hitler wanted a nonaggression pact with the Soviet Union so that his armies could invade Poland virtually unopposed by any major powers.
Effects:
1. The terms of the pact allowed for a nonaggressive relationship
2. The two countries agreed not to attack each other, either independently or in conjunction with other powers
3. Not to support any third power that might attack the other party in the pact
4. To remain in consultation with each other upon questions touching their common interests
5. Not to join any group of powers directly or indirectly threatening one of the two parties
6. To solve all differences between the two by negotiation or arbitration
7. The agreement also had secret protocols that divided the whole of Eastern Europe into German and Soviet spheres of influence so that the common interest of invading European countries wouldn’t cause conflict between the two countries
8. The pact allowed Germany to prepare for an invasion of Russia, whilst Russia was completely unprepared
9. The pact overall paved the way for the invasion of Poland in September 1939.

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