Lecture 14: The Road to War

The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was a treaty signed on August 23, 1939, between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, officially known as the German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact.
It included secret clauses that partitioned Poland and influenced the fate of several Baltic states and other territories.

Racial Struggle and Hierarchy: The Nazi ideology was fundamentally based on concepts of racial superiority and the struggle between races.
- Ostraum: Referred to the concept of Lebensraum (living space) for Germans, aimed at expanding German territory eastward.
- “Drang nach Osten”: This phrase implies a push towards the east to acquire more land for Germans.
- Perception of the USSR: Nazi Germany considered the USSR as a bastion of Judeo-Bolshevism, seeing it as an ideological and racial enemy.

The Soviet Union’s ideology was rooted in class struggle rather than racial struggle.
- Historical Progression: The Soviets believed that history was moving towards a conclusive clash between capitalism and communism.
- Nazi Capitalism: The Nazis were viewed as the extreme and grotesque forms of capitalism.
- Pragmatism of Stalin: Despite ideological differences, Stalin showed a practical approach to international relations.

Both Hitler and Stalin were notable opponents of Western democracies and sought to reshape the map of Eastern Europe in their favor.

After Adolf Hitler assumed power in 1933, he aimed to overturn the Versailles settlement imposed after WWI.
- Rearmament Plan (1935): Hitler publicly announced the rearmament of Germany and the rebuilding of the military.
- Rhineland Occupation (1936): Troops marched into the Rhineland, violating the Versailles Treaty.
- Expansion Targets: Hitler aimed for territorial expansion into Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Poland.

Anschluss (1938): The annexation of Austria.
Crisis over Sudetenland (1938): Tensions leading to the Munich Agreement, in which Western powers notably appeased Germany.
Dissolution of Czechoslovakia (March 1939): Germany's occupation led to the establishment of various protectorates:
- Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.
- Slovakia led by Father Tiso.

Hitler's demands for Danzig and control of the Polish Corridor were rejected by Poland, which was backed by Britain and France.

Before invading Poland, Hitler sought an agreement with Stalin, who had been astutely aware of Hitler's ambitions.

Timeline of Invasions: On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland, marking the start of World War II, and on September 17, the Soviet Union invaded Poland from the east.
- Post-military victory, both Nazis and Soviets attempted to eliminate potential Polish resistance.
- This involved Einsatzgruppen operations in the western zone and the Katyn massacre in the Soviet zone.

Romania's Concessions: Romania ceded Bessarabia and Bukovina to Stalin, leading to the formation of the Moldavian Soviet Republic.
Winter War (Nov 1939 - Mar 1940): Finland resisted Stalin's demands, leading to a conflict where, despite defeat, Finnish forces demonstrated effective winter warfare tactics (notably by Simo Häyhä).
Baltic States Incorporation (June 1940): The USSR forcibly annexed Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia with mass ethnic deportations following these communist takeovers.

Stalin was satisfied with the territorial gains achieved from the Nazi-Soviet Pact but remained aware that this temporary alliance would not endure, as he anticipated a looming confrontation with the forces of fascism.