Answer: The Nazi-Soviet Pact, also known as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, was a non-aggression treaty signed between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union on August 23, 1939. The pact contained a secret protocol that divided Eastern Europe into spheres of influence, with the Soviet Union gaining control over parts of Poland, Finland, and Romania.
The pact was seen as a major betrayal by the Soviet Union, which had previously been a strong critic of Nazi Germany and had signed mutual defense agreements with France and Great Britain. The pact allowed Nazi Germany to invade Poland without fear of Soviet intervention, which it did on September 1, 1939, marking the beginning of World War II in Europe.
The Nazi-Soviet Pact also had significant consequences for the rest of Europe. The British and French governments, which had previously promised to defend Poland in the event of a German invasion, were hesitant to go to war with Germany over the invasion of Poland alone. As a result, they adopted a policy of appeasement, agreeing to allow Germany to annex parts of Czechoslovakia and Poland in exchange for a promise of peace.
The Nazi-Soviet Pact eventually collapsed in 1941 when Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarossa. The Soviet Union became an ally of the United States and Great Britain in the war against Nazi Germany, leading to the eventual defeat of the Nazi regime. The pact, however, had already contributed significantly to the outbreak of World War II and the suffering and loss of life that occurred during the conflict.
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