Why did Great Britain not declare war on the Soviet Union when they invaded Poland in 1939?

Question

Great Britain had an alliance with Poland so when Germany invaded they declared war, but when the Soviet Union invaded from the East (Secret agreement by Molotov/Ribbontrop) they did not. Did Great Britain bite off more than she could chew with Soviets as well?

Answer 1

Britian just didn't want to get too far into things before they felt that they were ready.

Answer 2

Britain did indeed have an agreement with Poland that if she were invaded, we would come to their aid. When the Germans marched in, in cSeptember 1939, we declared war on Germany. The reason we did not declare war on Soviet Russia is because they have a much bigger army than we do and in any event, we believed then that the Soviet-German alliance would probably collapse quite quickly, which it did.

The rest is history. The worst aspect of all of this is that firstly we did nothing really to help Poland and secondly, Britain was quite unprepared for war and did not want to get involved. As it turned out, we had very little choice.

Answer 3

Great Britain declared was on Germany 2 days after they attacked Poland. The Soviets attacked Poland 9(/) days later to safeguard the properties thay had been guaranteed in the Germany/Soviet non aggression pact where Germany promised parts of Eastern Europe to the Soviets for a promise not to join the war against Germany and reuire the Germans to fight a war on two fronts.

The British were not in a postition at the point to fight the Germans much less the Germans and Soviets. Poland was already lost in less than the first two weeks of the war.

Answer 4

I can't recall the technical justification for not declaring war, but I'm sure the real reason is pretty much as you describe. Great Britain had their hands full with Germany, and knew they were threatened in the Pacific. Adding the Soviet Union to the list of enemies would have put them in a tough spot.

Though it is interesting to think of what might have happened if the British HAD declared war on the Soviets. It's obvious that Germany was going to turn on the Soviets eventually, so you would have had a three way war in Europe.

Answer 5

The molotov ribbentrop non aggression pact was simply buying time for both the Soviet Union and Germany to prepare for the inevitable war with each other.The invasion of france was simply to remove the probable threat of a war on 2 fronts.The soviet union was the real prize.Soviet re armament was incomplete and so both nations acted out the game.

The Russians and British had of course read Mein Kampf and it would have been folly not to plan accordingly.

We needed the russians more than they needed us,the allies correctly bided their time.

Answer 6

In 1939 Great Britain had just enough arms and service personnel to consider sending an expeditionary force to France, which was eventually pushed back at Dunkirk. The same retreats occured in Norway and Dieppe.
With mixed political attitudes as to whether we should fight anyway, and with uncertain budget plans for another war, the thought of a skirmish with the Russians was far from realistic.
It took the fore sight and courage of Winston Churchill to rally parliament, the Cabinet, and the War Office in order for the phenomenal growth of GB's war machine to move forward. With the German invasion of Russia it was the brilliant diplomatic skills of Winston and eventually the USA, that kept Stalin on our side until the end of the war.

Answer 7

No. I think the answer is a complex one.

During early and mid 1939, it was the France and GB who were negotiating a mutual defense agreement with the USSR. This provided for mutual defense in the event of agression toward each country and states in Central Europe, including Poland.

It would have required, however, the USSR to set up defensive positions in Poland. Due to a land dispute between them and despite a non-agression pact, Poland refused to allow the USSR entrance.

It never materialized and France and GB could not resolve differences with the USSR. After these talks failed, in August of 1939, Germany and the USSR began negotiations for a non-agression pact. This was ultimately signed (see link below).

This Polish position, some historians believe, ultimately led to their downfall.

Answer 8

i think they were finding it hard enough with the germans as they were also closer to home. than the Soviets
maybe winston thought that by letting the soviets take Poland, it would make thing's harder for the Germans,to mount an offencive
on Britain as well as trying to gain ground on the eastern front

Answer 9

Great Britain is a geographical term, not a political entity. I think you mean the United Kingdom.
To answer your question. International law and international agreements only count if it suits. They are largely worthless. This explains all the inconsistencies.
Thanks to the USA and UK the UN has been reduced to a charity organisation that goes cap in hand to the US whenever it needs something. It has no REAL power.
Had it stood fast against the illegal invasion of Iraq we might still have some international law.
But, as Israel illustrated in the Lebanon, it only exists in theory and not in practice.

Answer 10

Could it be because the USSR were actually allies of GB..?
QUOTE -

"World War II (1939–1945)
Axis powers (Germany, Italy, Japan, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria) versus Allies (U.S., Britain, France, USSR, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Greece, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, South Africa, Yugoslavia)."

http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0001288.html

Re Hyper Power -

YET AGAIN I feel it my duty to re-educate the American people about thier involvement in WW2.

USA DID NOT join WW2 in order to help ANYONE but to avenge the deaths of thier own people in Pearl Harbour when the Japs managed to reach there and drop their bombs and dive thier planes into US war-ships DOCKED there.

NO OTHER REASON !

Check out the source linkS..below.. and for goodness sake LEARN from the FACTS.. because you were obviously not taught correctly in school ! You have a second chance here to get it right.... PLEASE !

Answer 11

"Why did Great Britain not declare war on the Soviet Union when they invaded Poland in 1939?"

Because their worthless limeys. Just like they America bash on yahoo-limeyland about how WE SAVED THEM IN WW II, they left the Russians for us to defeat in the Cold War while they (limeys) clinged on to us beacause they were afraid..... whah!