German Foreign Minister Igor Ribbentrop

For the Soviet leadership, it was a sign that the Soviet Union are trying to move from active participation in European affairs. Soon after France signed an agreement with Germany, were equally non-aggression pact. In Moscow, it is was seen as an attempt to direct the aggression of Germany to the East against the Soviet Union. As a result, never became a close perspective, the apparent Soviet leadership is particularly unacceptable: a solution to all conflicts between "Imperialist countries" by ussr. Exacerbation of conflicts with Japan made these suspicions more valid: the summer of 1938 Japanese troops invaded the Soviet Union at Lake Hassan. In the face of German aggression from the west and Japan in the east of the ussr is under threat of war on two fronts.

In the Soviet leadership are beginning to wonder about the need to review foreign policy. Losing hope the possibility of collective resistance to Germany, imbued with a deep distrust of the politics of Britain and France, the Soviet leadership began to seek ways of rapprochement with Germany. The latter, for its part, too, sought a rapprochement with ussr. After the seizure of Bohemia and Moravia, the main object of the claims of Germany became Poland. Hitler tried to play here in Munich scenario, but Britain and France clearly refused to discuss his claims and gave assurances Poland.

Attacked her, Germany risked to be in a state of war with Britain and France. Although Poland and Hitler was not considered as a serious military adversary, the seizure of its deduced Germany on the border with the Soviet Union, whose position is such have a decisive manner. In Berlin, reasoned this way: if the Soviet Union will continue anti-German politics, Germany from the outset will be facing the prospect of war on two fronts, and the situation is even more unfavorable than in 1914 year: with far fewer resources and, therefore, more vulnerable to the blockade. And plans for a diplomatic offensive against the Soviet Union, Hitler discussed simultaneously with the plan of the military campaign against Poland. Her the start was scheduled for August 26. So in mid-August 1939 the ussr was at the center of world politics. His favor actively sought both Germany and its future military adversaries. Before the Soviet Union stood in Full-length issue a final choice between the warring rivals. And it became obvious that this choice depended the fate of the world. August 21, Stalin received a telegram from Hitler, in which he stated that seeks to conclude a nonaggression pact with the Soviet Union and is ready to sign any additional agreement regarding the settlement of all contentious issues. Hitler asked Stalin to German Foreign Minister Igor Ribbentrop, not later than 23 August for the signing of related documents