THE NAZI SOVIET PACT

1
THE NAZI SOVIET PACT

• In Early August 1939 Britain, France and the USSR
  were negotiating an agreement to protect Poland
  from German aggression but the talks broke down.
• The world was then amazed when on 23rd August
  1939 the Germans and Soviets announced the Nazi
  Soviet Pact.
• They agreed not to fight each other and to split
  Poland between them.

2
THE NAZI-SOVIET PACT

• Hitler know he could now invade Poland without
  having to fight the USSR.
• Hitler could get back lost land and begin to gain
  lebensraum.
• There would be no alliance between the USSR ,
  Britain and France

3
THE NAZI SOVIET PACT

• Stalin now did not have to fight Hitler over
  Poland
• The Soviets did not trust GB and France enough to
  ally with them.
• Stalin could get back land lost to Poland in the
  20s
• Stalin believed he would have to fight Hitler
  eventually, this gave him time to rearm.

4
COUNTDOWN TO WAR

• 1st September 1939 Germany invaded Poland
• In August 1939 Britain had signed an alliance
  with Poland.
• Britain were now more ready for war than they had
  been in 1938 during the Czech crisis.
• On 3rd September 1939 Britain sent an ultimatum
  to the Germans.

5
THE ULTIMATUM

• Unless by 11am today (3rd September)
  satisfactory assurances have been given by the
  German government and have reached the British
  government, a state of war will exist between the
  two countries

6
THERE WAS NO RESPONSE

• WORLD WAR II BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 3RD 1939