While ignoring Ukrainian Banderite flags and Neo-Nazi Ukrainians at Warsaw rap concerts a couple of weeks ago.
Russia did it!
A lifetime ago I took a political science course. The professor wanted us to look at 20th century politics from “the other person’s” point of view.
One thing he discussed was the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Stalin had been shut out of all previous Allied discussions with Hitler. In particular, the Soviets were not invited to the 1938 Munich conference, even though Czechoslovakia was right on the USSR’s doorstep.
So maybe Stalin thought he was next on Germany’s list. So better to make a deal now.
This does NOT mean Stalin was a good guy, trying to do the right thing. It just gives some insight into his thinking.
By the way, the professor was a fierce anticommunist. Probably none of them left at universities today
What was remarkable about that time period, American leftists were insistent that the US not get involved whatsoever in any way in this Soviet/Nazi carving up of Poland and the rest of it. The Socialists were allies!
Pete Seeger and that crew had folk music albums that they recalled, once the Nazis invaded the Soviet Union. They all did a 180 literally overnight, demanding the US enter their war.
Maybe because the youngest German WW2 veterans are in their 90s?
They were just 12 years old in 1945.
The US government should nuked the Kremlin sometime in the brief 4 year period before they acquired atomic bombs. Repeat as necessary. Would have saved countless lives and troubles.