The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of 1939 was an agreement between leaders Adolph Hitler of Nazi Germany and Josef Stalin of the Soviet Union.
Hitler World War II, Stalin Soviet Union
In the 1930s, Hitler began to exert power as Nazi Germany seized various parts of Europe, outside of the motherland. Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union, took notice and began to discuss the idea of limiting Hitler's "aggression" across the European continent. The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland (though Finland is not considered a Baltic territory today) were of special importance to Stalin, since they bordered the Soviet Union to the west, and therefore, represented a possible takeover of Soviet territory.
To assuage Stalin's concerns, Hitler decided to create a non-aggression agreement to ensure his goal of domination across Northern and Eastern Europe. On August 23, 1939, Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov met with his German counterpart Joachim von Ribbentrop to sign the treaty. It was to last for 10 years, with the provision that it be extended for five years after that, if successful.
The Modern History Sourcebook (Paul Halsall Aug 1997, Fordham University) states the main goal for the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact: "Both High Contracting Parties obligate themselves to desist from any act of violence, any aggressive action, and any attack on each other, either individually or jointly with other Powers." However, there was also a secret agreement to divide up Eastern Europe.
New Eastern Europe Map, Division of Powers
Yet, there was a secret element to the pact: the division of Northern and Eastern Europe. The Modern History Sourcebook cites these three clandestine protocols:
- "In the event of a territorial and political rearrangement in the areas belonging to the Baltic States (Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), the northern boundary of Lithuania shall represent the boundary of the spheres of influence of Germany and U.S.S.R. In this connection the interest of Lithuania in the Vilna area is recognized by each party."
- "In the event of a territorial and political rearrangement of the areas belonging to the Polish state, the spheres of influence of Germany and the U.S.S.R. shall be bounded approximately by the line of the rivers Narev, Vistula and San."
- "With regard to Southeastern Europe attention is called by the Soviet side to its interest in Bessarabia (then Romania, now Moldova). The German side declares its complete political disinteredness in these areas."
Unfortunately for Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and current day Moldova, that meant terrifyingly violent occupations of these countries both by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Finland was the only nation to fight off occupiers, though it lost a part of its eastern countryside.
Hitler's Rise to Power, German History of War
On June 22, 1941, Hitler invaded the Soviet Union, thus breaking the Molotov-Ribbentrop agreement. The invasion was known as Operation Barbarossa and began in the early morning of June 22. The Germans attacked from the south, west and pushed into the north, on their way to seize Leningrad (now St. Petersburg, Russia).
According to the BBC's "On This Day," the German army, "was thought to have committed a massive force of more than three million men, supported by more than 3,000 tanks, 7,000 guns and nearly 3,000 aircraft."
However, the Red Army (the Soviets) fought back with surprising strength. They counterattacked and overtook the Germans on December 6, 1941. In 1943, the Soviets won the brutal Battle of Stalingrad, and then in 1944, the Soviets also were victorious in the Siege of Leningrad.
The BBC notes, "the failure of Operation Barbarossa was Hitler's first major defeat on land, and marked the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany."
The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was an agreement of non-aggression between Hitler and Stalin. The treaty outlined what non-aggressive behavior meant as well as discussed the division of Northern and Eastern Europe. Today, it stands as one of the most important documents in world history and represents the many years of harsh brutality that Eastern Europeans had to endure.
Check out the Eastern Europe blog for more commentary and articles on Soviet history.
Jennifer Ciotta - Jennifer Ciotta is the author of I, Putin (Vladimir Putin novel): http://vladimirputinnovel.com.
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