DISINFO: The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact played no role in unleashing World War II
SUMMARY
Yes, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact contained a Secret Protocol that divided Poland in two. However, if Germany had not attacked Poland, the Protocol would have become void. So, the facts say that the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was an additional argument for Hitler that did not alter his decision. If we imagine that this pact between Germany and the USSR had not been signed, the German-Polish war would have started in any case because of the deadlock in the mutual relations.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about WWII and Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. World War II began in Europe on 1 September 1939, when Germany invaded Poland. A week before Germany attacked Poland, Hitler and Stalin signed a non-aggression pact, also known as the "Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact" (23 August 1939). The deal was accompanied by a secret supplementary protocol on the delimitation of areas of mutual interest in Eastern Europe. In particular, Hitler and Stalin agreed to divide Poland. The agreement also indicated that the Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, as well as Bessarabia and Finland, also belonged to the respective areas of interest of Germany and the USSR. The Soviet Union attacked Poland on September 17, forcing the Polish army to fight on two fronts. Poland was divided according to the agreements of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact. The USSR later attacked Finland and annexed the Baltic states, all as agreed in the pact with Nazi Germany.