| > Was Poland not justified in entering a non-aggression pact with Germany? Did they also devise secret protocols dividing the world into spheres of influence, which were subsequently expanded with clauses that had "friendship" in their titles? > we're judging decisions made at the time with the hindsight of decades after the war This is exactly what allows us to see objectively what was happening. It's always easy to say "we didn't mean it, we were playing 3D chess" (like Trump apologists) right afterwards. However, we can judge based on the actions, which were: 1) sign a non-agression pact with Nazi Germany 2) almost immediately after, jointly with Nazi Germany invade and divide a country 3) extend the pact with a further "friendship" treaty, dividing Europe* 4) further discuss joining Axis** Where do you think things were really headed? > I don't think it was clear to anyone who would've joined the war, which sides would've won, and the likelihood of such events. > Every country, depending on the circumstances, was probably trying to do what's best for them You're quick to rob all countries and their leaders of moral baselines. There was documented massive surprise (including Western communists) and outrage worldwide when USSR signed the pact. I think the pact at the time was somewhat of a blow to general morale, a sign that another major player takes the world as a zero-sum dog eat dog arena that you allude to. It seems feasible Stalin/Molotov would've joined Axis if it's "better" for USSR. And furthermore what was going on in USSR under Stalin (ethical cleanses, mass murder) is not too different from what Hitler did, USSR and Nazi Germany are fairly similar in many regards. But I don't think this is somehow just an instance of how every normal country disregards ethics in the name of own profit. For one, USSR was geopolitically differently situated compared to small countries within immediate vicinity of Germany. It had immense territory. It was actively forging agreements and trade with Germany at the time. I'm happy USSR ultimately didn't get to win the initial war and divide the world alongside Axis. > It's not as much to enable other countries' war, but rather to delay one's own involvement in one war. USSR invaded Poland as soon as Germany did. You're right, this is not enabling other countries' war. This is actually joining the war, and not on the side of the good guys. * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German–Soviet_Boundary_and_Fri... ** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German–Soviet_Axis_talks#Molot... |