As we all know, Britain and France declared war on Germany for invading Poland. Does anyone else find it odd they failed in their pact to defend Poland when the USSR invaded as well?

If my own ignorance is preventing me from seeing an obvious answer, please tell me! [img]smile.gif[/img]

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"If your gonna buy the angel s**t, you might as well go for the zombie package as well."
-George Carlin

That's a very good question, actually.

But I think it's hard to tell. In the first way, the Soviet Union attacked Poland some two weeks after the Germans did and after the Allies declared war. But I think that they knew that they were not able to fight the Red Giant in any way possible. The questions were: "How do we attack them and where?".

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"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

Good question, I never really thought of it that way.

My best guess is that they had to see Germany as the main aggressor since they attacked first--now had Russia attacked first hmmmm........ I still think that Hitler was hated more than Stalin--at that time--so the result would likely be the exact same.

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Very interesting points-

It seems to me that perhaps the Western Allies saw Russia as a great potential threat...plus they invaded later...making it convenient to not fight them. I also think the Western Allies underestimated Germany, which made it easier to declare war on them.

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"If your gonna buy the angel s**t, you might as well go for the zombie package as well."
-George Carlin

I think it was a case of all the attention was focused on Germany. There had been a lot of back and forth negotiations to try and prevent it all. Then of course, when Germany invaded war was declared.

But, all of a sudden Russia invades Poland too, and it was a case of, "What do we do now ??".

They knew they couldn't fight Russia, and yeah, Germany was seen as the main enemy. So they just let that one slip.

Besides, France always had a slight lean to the left anyway, and maybe Britain already hoped that Russia would join on their side similar to WW1.

I'm sure even French and British politicians could recognise that Fascism and Communism couldn't really exist side by side for too long.

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Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few - Churchill August 1940.

Das Reich--thank you.

Thats about as far as my thinking goes on that--except, I wonder what Churchill would have had in mind had he really had a choice. I mean, he never trusted the Russians like they never trusted us. I think Churchill was VERY wise in many of his decisions and concerns--about Russia. Its a shame that "we" didnt listen hard enough to what Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, had to say.

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

AFAIK, the british guarantee of March 31, was limited to a German agression. In a note by Stalin to the British Govt, dated April 18, he informed the British that he does not understand the British guarantee as being valid in case of a Soviet attack.

I'm not 100 % sure, though, I really need to find the book to confirm that.

Cheers,

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"Gentlemen! You can't fight in here, this is the War Room!"
(President Merkin Muffley in "Dr. Strangelove")

Politics, politics...??
The war was almost over in Poland as the Russians entered the country, I think. Maybe it was not seen as an attack but a take over, or even better saving the eastern side of Poland from Germany?? How wrong they would have been, as the Russians had big lists of who to shoot and put into prison as political enemies of the party.They gave the lists willingly to Germans as well.

Also it might be that the western allied at that moment had negotiations with Russia still going on under cover, although Stalin was still confirmed on the pact with Germany being the one he stood with. Thus they did not want to risque these talks by declaring war, although by entering the country , in my opinion, Russia turned to the enemy of England and France as well.
Indeed weird!
[img]smile.gif[/img]

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Read something on discussions between Stalin and the Finns in October 1939 before the Winter War just recently.

As Stalin was asked why he previously had stated that "he did not want any piece of foreign land and as well would not give up any of Russia´s to any matters " and now was wanting land from Finland to secure Leningrad. As well he was giving part of northern Karelia away in exchange.
This time he says:

" What we got from Poland has been part of Russia for ages. What we did with the Baltic nations, only secured their position ( did not occupy until 1940 ). What happens now is your decision."

Probably from Stalin´s pretty bag of lies but interesting.

As later from the Finnish military observer´s memo mentioned that as long as the Finns control the coast in southern Finland the safety of Leningrad is not threatened, Stalin answered:

" That might look nice in some military magazine, but as long as I decide for the safety of Leningrad that is not enough! "

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