Putin insists on recognition of USSR's WWII role

“The blame for the tragedy that Poland then suffered lies entirely with the Polish leadership,

Poland was squeezed, like all other borderland states between fascist Germany and the Stalinist USSR. Hitler and Stalin through the Molotov - Ribbentrop Pact divided parts of Europe up. One explanation I've heard for Stalin dealing with Hitler when he did is Stalin had ordered so many of his generals and admirals killed that his military had become so weak he signed the pact hoping to buy time until he could replace them.

The USSR's huge role in defeating Nazi Germany cannot be denied. Ironic, though, that modern Russia political-economic system led by Putin seems to have so many similarities to the system millions of Russians died to defeat.

"He also defended the wartime annexation of the Baltic nations."

And undoubtedly the taking of the 4 Southern Kurile islands which were never Russian after Japan had declared surrender.

Expect to see his Puppet Trump echo these same words verbatim - Putin talks, Trump's mouth moves...

@PTownsend

Poland he signed the pact hoping to buy timewas squeezed

Poor Poland! But in 30s it was the most nationalistic country in Europe that happily sided with Hitler (Polish-German pact of 1935) and eagerly participated in Hitler's dismembering of Czechoslovakia in 1938. After that Churchill called Poland "the hyena of Europe".

he signed the pact hoping to buy time

USSR was the last power to sign a pact with Hitler. UK and France did in 1938, giving Hitler a free hand.

system led by Putin seems to have so many similarities to the system millions of Russians died to defeat

Very false statement.

If Germany wasn’t fighting on 3 fronts, & could’ve concentrated it’s entire military might on the eastern front, Russia would’ve been badly defeated

When the Nazis invaded France, Russia under Stalin's leadership was content to sit on its hands and do nothing. Russia didn't come around to joining the Allies against Nazi Germany until the Germans invaded Russia, which reportedly surprised Stalin. When Stalin eventually figured out that he'd been betrayed by Hitler, then he naturally switched sides after which he whined continuously about how the western allies weren't doing enough, even though the U.S. provided $146 billion dollars in aid through the Lend-Lease Act. Think about it, the Russians watched the Germans invade France without lifting a finger. As a matter of fact, Russia quite likely encouraged the Germans to invade France by giving Hitler breathing space and freeing up those German divisions stationed in their eastern theater of operations and switching them to the western one. Thus, enabling Hitler to steamroll over the French and British.

The Brits were no big prize either under the leadership of Chamberlain, but they were finally able put 2 and 2 together when Hitler invaded Poland. Russia (or Stalin) for whatever reasons preferred to ignore what Hitler was up to and invaded Poland to partake in the spoils. All of the big fish were gobbling up the littler fish, but then when the little fish were all gone the big fish started eyeing over the other big fish, and it was no secret that Hitler viewed Russia as its new living space as part of his grand plan.

But when push did come to shove, the Russians did indeed push back and with a vengeance. Who wouldn't fight like a tiger with a foreign invader running amok in their own country, especially one they had been friends and partners with a short time before? It must have truly felt like a stab in the back.

"I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle wrapped inside of a mystery inside an enigma."

Winston Churchill, 1939

After that Churchill called Poland "the hyena of Europe".

While he was critical of Poland, I understand he said that Poland had acted with a "hyena appetite" (referring to its actions with regard to Czechoslovakia). Slightly different.

@stormcrow

Think about it, the Russians watched the Germans invade France without lifting a finge

And why the Soviets should have lifting fingers about it? They offered France an agreement against Hitler in 1937-38, the French refused it. Instead they made the Munich agreement with Hitler, hoping he would attack the Soviets first.

Russia quite likely encouraged the Germans to invade France

Quite likely France and UK would have cheered up Hitler had he invaded USSR first.

invaded Poland to partake in the spoils

Stalin just returned the territory the Poles stole during the Russian Civil war tweny years before that.

Who wouldn't fight like a tiger with a foreign invader running amok in their own country, especially one they had been friends and partners with a short time before?

Very good description of Polish and French behaviour in 1939-40.

When the Nazis invaded France, Russia under Stalin's leadership was content to sit on its hands and do nothing.

That's not my understanding. In that period, the Soviet Union was building up its military strength. I don't think it was sitting on its hands.

When Stalin eventually figured out that he'd been betrayed by Hitler,

Again, I don't think the Soviet Union was under any illusion that Germany was a friend. Was it not more a case of misjudgment of Germany's actions? I've read that the USSR was warned by the UK and the USA of Germany's planned invasion, but Stalin considered it a ploy to get the USSR to join the war. A mistake perhaps, but I think it's understandable. I've also read that the USSR had been planning an invasion of Germany for later in 1941.

It's hard to understand the actions and motives of the various countries involved at the time, but it's probably not wrong to think that all countries were only thinking of their own interests and power.

". . . why do some still insist on squabbling over who did what?"

Because those who don't remember history are doomed to repeat it.

"Quite likely France and UK would have cheered up Hitler had he invaded USSR first."

Communism was quite popular among many people in France at the time, so that's questionable. However, the UK, especially under Chamberlain's leadership, may have been happy, but that's all speculation, isn't it? Anyway, the Nazis couldn't have invaded Russia without overrunning Poland first, so the UK did declare war before such an eventuality. Interestingly, in Albert Speer's book, "Inside the Third Reich", he discusses how the Germans were actually welcomed throughout parts of E. Europe and Russia at the beginning of the German invasion because the people who lived there hated Stalin so much, but that feeling quickly changed after the SS carried out its own brutal campaign on the heels of the army, then the partisan groups sprang up everywhere. Speer went on to say that had the German army not had this interference from the SS, then many Russians would have been more than happy to see Stalin removed. How many millions of USSR citizens (during peace time, mind you) died under Stalin before the Germans ever entered the picture?

@albaleo

I don't think the Soviet Union was under any illusion that Germany was a friend

How pleasant to read a calm, unbiased opinion. Please tell it to @stormcrow, he is still under impression that Hitler and Stalin were buddies.

@stormcrow

Because those who don't remember history are doomed to repeat it

In order not to forget history just look how the U.S. saw the USSSR in 1943:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvsintGi5JA

Speer went on to say that had the German army not had this interference from the SS, then many Russians would have been more than happy to see Stalin removed

Whoa, that is THE speculation, isn't it?

Germans were actually welcomed throughout parts of E. Europe

Several years later these parts of Eastern Europe welcomed Soviet troops with even greater enthusiasm.

Regarding the Non-Aggression Pact signed between Germany and Russia just prior to WWII, Winston Churchill wrote in The Gathering Storm the following:

*This treaty was to last ten years, and if not denounced by either side one year before the expiration of that period would be automatically extended for another five years. There was much jubilation and many toasts around the conference table, Stalin spontaneously proposed the toast of the Fuehrer, as follows: "I know how much the German nation loves its Fuehrer; I should therefore like to drink his health," A moral may be drawn from all this, which is of homely simplicity. "Honesty is the best policy." . . . Only twenty-two months were to pass before Stalin and the Russian nation in its scores of millions were to pay a frightful forfeit.*

Well, if Stalin and Hitler weren't buddies, their governments were certainly on rather intimate terms. Did Russia want Germany for a friend? Probably not, but it was what they needed to do at the time. Did Russia want Germany for an enemy? I strongly doubt it. As a matter of fact, I think the Russians were scared s***less about that possibility. What did Stalin do? He supported the Non-Aggression Pact between Russia & Germany which allowed the Germans to concentrate all of its military forces on the West before turning its true interest to the East (for some of that vast living space) while Stalin and the Russians sat on their hands and watched Germany invade France from the sidelines.

@stormcrow,

Churchill also wrote about the pact that, "If their [the Soviets] policy was cold-blooded, it was also at the moment realistic to a high degree."

@albaleo

Yeah, there are a million and one ways to look at the goings-on prior to WWII and there would be a grain of truth in many of those arguments. Most of the major players were doing their best to avert any form of bloodshed at all costs, especially England and France. Another obstacle in joining together was a lack of leadership and the fact that the smaller E. European countries didn't trust Stalin enough to allow Russian troops to enter or move through their countries. They were afraid that those Russian troops passing through would end up staying permanently, which is basically what Russia did when WWII ended.

All things considered, at that moment, Russia was simply looking out for number one, but she wasn't alone because everybody else was too, and that's part of the reason why Hitler was able to move as far and as fast as he did. It was also a terrible time to be a weaker country in mighty Nazi Germany's path without a friendly country to rely on for help, as the Czechs were to learn.