the road to world war ii the nazi-soviet pact 23 rd august 1939
TRANSCRIPT
The road to World War II
The Nazi-Soviet Pact23rd August 1939
The Nazi-Soviet Pact of 1939
• On 23 August, 1939, the world was shocked when, suddenly, Russia and Germany signed a Non-aggression Pact. People would have been even more shocked if they had known at the time that, in addition, the two countries had a secret agreement to invade and divide Poland between them.
The Nazi-Soviet Pact of 1939
Why did Stalin sign the Nazi-Soviet Pact?
Why did talks fail with Britain?
Suspicion & Lack of trust
Stalin got fed up with Britain's
delaying tactics
Stalin did not believe Britain
would honour its promise to Poland.
Appeasement!
Germany & Hitler offered Stalin a better choice
Why did the Nazi-Soviet Pact happen?
• Stalin was convinced Britain & France would never go to war with Germany• Stalin was annoyed that Britain and France had promised to help Poland
which he viewed as his potential enemy.
REMEMBER
Stalin's 2 choices1) if he made an alliance with Britain, he would end up fighting a war against Hitler over Poland.
2) if he made an alliance with Germany, he would get half of Poland, and time to prepare for the coming war with Germany.
Obviously Stalin chose the second option
Interpretations of the Nazi-Soviet Pact.
This British cartoon of 1939
What is the message of this cartoon? Use the cartoon and your own knowledge
Interpretations of the Nazi-Soviet Pact.
This British cartoon of 1939
What is the message of this cartoon? Use the cartoon and your own knowledge
A British cartoon from 1937. The figures on the left representBritain and France. The figure on the right is Molotov,the Soviet Foreign Minister
What is the message of this cartoon? Use the cartoon and your own knowledge
A Soviet cartoon from 1939. CCCP is Russian for USSR.The French and the British are directing Hitler away from westernEurope and towards the USSR.
What is the message of this cartoon? Use the cartoon and your own knowledge
What does this source reveal about Soviet attitudes towards Britain and France?
Why did Hitler & Stalin REALLY sign the Nazi-Soviet Pact?
Because . . . .
Stalin was not convincedthat Britain and France
would be strong andreliable enough as allies
against Hitler.
He did not believe Hitler wouldkeep his word, but he hoped
for time to build up hisforces against the attack
he knew would come.
He also had designs on largesections of Eastern Polandand wanted to take overthe Baltic states whichused to be part of the
USSR
WAR• The Pact was perhaps the
pinnacle of Hitler’s triumphs. It cleared the way for Germany’s invasion of Poland.
• On 1 September 1939 the German army invaded Poland from the west. On 17 September Soviet forces invaded Poland from the east. Poland soon fell.
• But Hitler’s triumph was spoilt by a nasty surprise. Britain and France did keep their pledge. On 2 September they declared war on Germany.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMt2-o8Mrbw&feature=fvst
Task
Terms of the Treaty of Versailles
What Hitler did and when
The reasons he gave for his action
The response from Britain and France
Germany’s armed forces to be severely limited
The Rhineland to be a demilitarised zone
Germany forbidden to unite with Austria
The Sudetenland taken into the new state of Czechoslovakia
The Polish Corridor given to Poland