Practically all countries made similar agreements with Hitler, Stalin was just a bit late. 1. First was the Four-Power Pact (or Quadripartite Agreement) signed on July 15, 1933 by Britain, France, Germany and Italy. 2. Poland-Germany Non-Agression Pact of 1934. 3. Anglo-German Naval Agreement of 1935. read more
But he wanted, and needed, an ally. The only power large enough to stop Hitler, and with a vested interest in doing so, was the Soviet Union. But Stalin was cool to Britain after its effort to create a political alliance with Britain and France against Germany had been rebuffed a year earlier. read more
Stalin’s response finally arrived 27 hours later: Send Ribbentrop to Moscow. On August 23, 1939, Ribbentrop arrived with written orders in hand from Hitler to make the deal. Such a diplomatic foray would have been unthinkable only months before. read more