That's what I see as the most difficult thing to surmise in discussing a hypothetical treaty between Nazi Germany and USSR. It's nearly impossible to think of the condition that would make the scenario plausible.

Germany retaining any USSR territory would be out of the question, I think. Stalin would never accept it.

Reparations would be out because it's not in Hitler's character to give, he likes to take.

The only thing that I could think of that could give a semblance of a condition for a possible peace pact between the two sides would be the untimely death of either one of the two leaders.

With Stalin out of the way, I think another USSR leader would be more amenable for an adjustment of the USSR-Nazi Germany border in exchange for some form of German concession.

If Hitler is out of the way, Germany would be amenable to withdrawing to pre-war lines (read the partition border in Poland) plus other concessions. Such an action would placate Stalin because the guy who ordered the invasion is already out of the equation. And I agree that in this possibility, Stalin would be thinking of invading Germany in this alternate reality. Whether he pushes through with it or not, that's another what if!

Actually, this was almost a reality. Stalin did send out feelers through the Bulgarian embassy I believe and there was even a meeting between Russian and German delegates to discuss it. Nothing became of it. This happened before the Battle of Moscow.

__________________

American by birth, TEXAN by the grace of GOD!

What? Russia surrender???? No way.

LOL.

__________________
The Muslim Brotherhood “must understand that their work in America is a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and ‘sabotaging’ its miserable house by their hands..." — Mohamed Akram. http://jihadwatch.org/

I will try to find the source It almost seems that Stalin lost his head during this time and did not come out of it until the battle of Moscow.

__________________

American by birth, TEXAN by the grace of GOD!

That would be great, I am not mocking you, but all those who think Russia could never have lost it from day one.

__________________
The Muslim Brotherhood “must understand that their work in America is a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and ‘sabotaging’ its miserable house by their hands..." — Mohamed Akram. http://jihadwatch.org/

He almost did indeed. In fact he was very unnerved in the beginning to say the least.

__________________
The war against Russia will be such that it cannot be conducted in a knightly fashion. This struggle is one of ideologies and racial differences and will have to be conducted with unprecedented, unmerciful and unrelenting harshness. -Adolf Hitler

Understood. It must have been in a book I read. There was some discussion on this forum about it but cannot remember the thread. The meeting took place right as German troops were approaching Moscow and before discussions started with the West on Lend Lease. Stalin was not aware that the West would help him. I am pretty sure the contact was made through the Bulgarians.

__________________

American by birth, TEXAN by the grace of GOD!