Saturday marks the 86th Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact anniversary
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
On Saturday, 86 years passed since the infamous 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was signed. In theory, it was a simple non-aggression agreement between the Soviets and the Nazis. However, a secret protocol attached guaranteed Hitler that Stalin would not interfere while the Nazis invade Poland - in return for a large portion of the then-Polish territories, as well as parts of the Baltic States, Finland and Romania for the Soviets.
On this day in history - August 23rd, 1939 - the Molotov-Ribbentrop alliance was formalized between Hitler and Stalin. The following month they invaded Poland together and started World War II.
Russians are taught WW2 instead began in June 1941 when Hitler invaded Russia. https://t.co/CuCBcrxxEn pic.twitter.com/qKZO6O3tbw
— Igor Sushko (@igorsushko) August 23, 2025
On the 86th anniversary of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, Polish President Karol Nawrocki wrote on social media that "the entire world should learn from the events of 1939 and not allow sick dreams of an empire to consume more human lives" . Meanwhile, as he added - "imperial resentments are now being revived in Russia" .
"In 1939, (through their proxies) Stalin and Hitler signed an act that opened the way to World War II and claimed the lives of millions of people worldwide. Poland became the first victim of German, and then Soviet, aggression" - the 10th Polish president wrote on X.
86. rocznica paktu Ribbentrop-Mołotow.
W 1939 roku Stalin, wspólnie z Hitlerem, zawarli akt, który otworzył drogę do II wojny światowej i pochłonął życie milionów ludzi na całym świecie. Polska stała się pierwszą ofiarą niemieckiej, a potem sowieckiej agresji.
Niemcy do…
— Karol Nawrocki (@NawrockiKn) August 23, 2025
On the pages of "The Political History of Poland 1935-1945", Polish historian professor Andrzej Garlicki assessed the 1939 pact between the two totalitarian powers in the following words:
"The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact is often called the Fourth Partition of Poland. This name accurately captures its essence. Two neighboring countries concluded an agreement dividing Polish territory between them. And after a few weeks, in September, they implemented their dealings".
86 years ago today, Nazi Germany & the USSR signed the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. They called it a non-aggression pact, which was a lie - its secret deal carved up Europe & condemned the Baltics to decades of Soviet occupation.
That pact did more than redraw borders; it set in… pic.twitter.com/fqLMNHB7Ed
— Margus Tsahkna (@Tsahkna) August 23, 2025
The European Parliament in 2019 passed a resolution that recounted how World War II broke out in September 1939 and stressed that Poland was attacked by not one but two superpowers at the time. As the resolution states: “Poland was invaded first by Hitler and two weeks later by Stalin - which stripped the country of its independence and was an unprecedented tragedy for the Polish people".
The resolution adopted by MEPs in September 2019 also called on the European Commission to decisively counteract “efforts by the current Russian leadership to distort historical facts and whitewash crimes committed by the Soviet totalitarian regime”. It added that such attempts were “a dangerous component of the information war waged against democratic Europe that aims to divide Europe”.
What was Stalin's ultimate ambition when he agreed to the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, signed on this day in 1939? See to the end for @Roger_Moorhouse 's answer. pic.twitter.com/zeY3qYHier
— Foundation for the History of Totalitarianism (@HofTotalitarian) August 23, 2025
For several decades, the topic of a treaty with Nazi Germany was either passed over in silence or presented in a manipulated manner in the USSR. Vladimir Putin went even further after becoming president of Russia, though.
"While he did not deny the USSR's signing of secret protocols concerning the partition of Poland and the Baltic states, and the seizure of control over Bessarabia, with increasing irritation he emphasized that historical disputes should be the subject of research by historians and journalists, and should not play a significant role in political relations"
- Polish historian Paweł Bielicki described Putin's attitude towards the issue in the quarterly "Dzieje Najnowsze" in 2002.
On this day in 1939, the USSR and Nazis signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact. pic.twitter.com/1lykeCdAJU
— Pekka Kallioniemi (@P_Kallioniemi) August 23, 2025
Russian rhetoric on historical policy intensified after 2014. Following his unlawful annexation of Crimea, Putin openly justified the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. On the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, he declared that it was "essential for the USSR's national security" , and that Poland and the Baltic states occupied by the USSR "must end their phobias of the past" . Well... As developments in Ukraine, in Georgia, in Moldova, in Belarus and in a number of other places neighbouring Russia have shown - they most definitely shouldn't.
Putin went even further speaking about the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact after the launch of his unlawful full-scale aggression against Ukraine. In February 2024, while interviewed by Tucker Carlson, the Russian dictator went even further, falsely blaming Poland for the outbreak of World War II - an an outright lie, no less.
On this day in 1939, Hitler and Stalin signed the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, setting off World War II.
pic.twitter.com/aC1IyGbZpn
— UNITED24 Media (@United24media) August 23, 2025
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The pact between two left wing totalitarian governments made the bloodiest war in history possible with one of the signatories being rewarded with an empire in eastern europe.
Bizarrely, the other was rightly treated as unacceptable, and adherence to its doctrines meant relegation to the margins of society. The other's ideology (despite killing 100 million people ) became dominant in American universities, it's iconography celebrated by Democrats to the extent it became the dominate motif of the Obama fans, and it's supporters rewarded with the mostly highly sensitive positions in the American security services.
I'm glad to see a seed on history here. We can learn so much from history.
The pact between two left wing totalitarian governments made the bloodiest war in history possible with one of the signatories being rewarded with an empire in eastern europe.
Correct. After the war Stalin was allowed to take the Roman Catholic portion of Poland and to incorporate it into the then Soviet state of Ukraine. When the western powers complained, Stalin supposedly asked how many soldiers the Pope had. He also told his former allies to simply take eastern provinces of Germany such as Prussia and Pomerania and give those lands to Poland, which is exactly what our wonderful liberal leaders did. Thousands of people were displaced, some lost their lives. It is a part of history that most of us were never taught.
The "Winter War" between Finland and the Soviet Union deserves notice as a lesson by itself.
Bizarrely, the other was rightly treated as unacceptable, and adherence to its doctrines meant relegation to the margins of society. The other's ideology (despite killing 100 million people ) became dominant in American universities, it's iconography celebrated by Democrats to the extent it became the dominate motif of the Obama fans, and it's supporters rewarded with the mostly highly sensitive positions in the American security services.
That is an understatement. If we had an honest mainstream media it would have driven home the consequences of then president Obama on a hot mic telling Dimitri Medvedev “On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved but it’s important for him to give me space, this is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility.”
Well, Russia stood down and Obama won reelection. Then Russia invaded Ukraine.
"In 2014, after Russia annexed Crimea and began arming separatists in eastern Ukraine with tanks, armored vehicles and rocket launchers, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko came to Washington to plead for weapons to defend his country. In an impassioned address to a joint session of Congress — with Biden sitting directly behind him — Poroshenko said his country appreciated the nonlethal assistance he was getting, but declared “one cannot win a war with blankets.”
Sorry, Joe: Team Obama refused to arm Ukraine at all
Three American presidents appeased the Soviet Union and Russia.