Nazi-Soviet Pact

Questions & Answers on Nazi-Soviet Pact:

Q1.Why was the Nazi-Soviet Pact of Aug 1939 important? (7)
A1. * 2 traditional enemies now come together (Hitler was once part of the Anti-Commintern Pact)
*pact helped secure peace for Stalin enabling USSR to make military preparations * *Hitler felt the pact was a ‘master-stroke’. He now did not have to fight on two fronts –eastern & western. He did not intend to have the USSR keep all the territories promised for long. Neither did Stalin expect Hitler to keep his word-but he felt USSR would only gain in a long drawn out war in which Br, Fr & Gr exhausted themselves.
*Pact cleared the way for Germany’s invasion of Poland . USSR was a threat.USSR had earlier laid claim to some Polish territories e.g. Belarus and Ukraine ruled by Poland, now USSR got Polish territory without a war.
*pact helped Hitler with his foreign policy aims-regain land lost at Versailles begins to acquire Lebensraum.
*pact for the time being left Br & Fr alone to fight against Ger.
*pact single most important short term cause of war

Q2. Explain why Hitler wanted the Nazi-Soviet Pact of 1939? (7)
A2.*pact helped Hitler with his foreign policy aims:
-i) regain land lost at Versailles, Ger had lost Polish Corridor and Danzig
*and ii) begin to acquire Lebensraum.
*Br had guaranteed Polish independence. USSR, Br &Fr been discussing how to defend Poland. A threat to Hitler.
*Hitler now knew if invaded Poland USSR would not stop him due to their territorial gains.
*No war on two fronts
* Ally in USSR would instill fear in Br & Fr whom he felt would not dare attack him when he took over Poland.