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====Background====
In 1939, the Soviet Union was something of a ‘rogue’ state.<ref>Bendersky, Joseph, ''A History of Nazi Germany: 1919–1945'' (Rowman & Littlefield, London, 2000), p. 78.</ref>. It had little or no relations with the western power, who suspected Moscow of trying to spread Communism throughout the world. Despite being ideological rivals, Germany, and the Soviet Union began secret negotiations in 1939. The situation in Europe was tense and many expected another general European war. They were conducted in secret and were overseen by the foreign ministers of the respective countries. In 1939, the Pact was announced by the foreign ministers of Germany (Ribbentrop) and of the Soviet Union (Molotov). The Ribbentrop- Molotov pact, named after the negotiators, as it came to be known, was composed of two parts, a public agreement, and secret protocols.<ref>Bendersky, p. 56.</ref> Publicly, the pact stated that Germany and the Soviet Union would not engage in any aggressive actions towards each other. The parties to the agreement stated that they would not go to war with each other.
[[File:Molotov.jpg|thumbnail|250px|Molotove greeting a German diplomat (September, 1939).]]
Much of the Pact was secret. The reasons for this was that it allowed both Hitler and Stalin’s regime to further their national and strategic interests.<ref>Moorhouse, Roger. ''The Devils' Alliance: Hitler's Pact with Stalin, 1939–1941''. (The Bodley Head. London, 2014), p. 78</ref> In fact, many of the protocols were denied by the Soviets until 1989 and the fall of the Berlin War. The secret protocols involved dividing up eastern Europe into separate spheres of influence. Poland was to be divided between Germany and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union was allowed to take control of the Baltic States and Bessarabia (now Moldovia). More importantly for the Soviet Union was the fact that Stalin did not want a war and some have speculated that he wanted Hitler and the Western Allies to fight each other and weaken themselves until their states were ripe for a Communist takeover.<ref>Bendersky, p. 66</ref>. Another possible reason for Stalin signing the Pact with his ideological enemy was that he feared an attack from Japan in the East.
