world war II?

Question

Why did the allies declare war on Germany for invading Poland, but not the Soviet Union? The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact divided Poland and other nations between them. They both attacked. Why did england and France only declare war on Germany?

Answer 1

Germany was the bigger threat, also the USSR did the allies a huge favor by taking Eastern Poland before the Germans could. It delayed Germany getting access to huge stockpiles of oil and created a buffer for the Soviets home territory. Stalin was a vicious killer, but he was not stupid. He knew the Germans were coming.

Because foreign policy is shaped in the vast majority by perceived national interest, not morality. No one cared about Poland's freedom - during the Soviet Union's occupation they murdered 10,000 Polish officers and members of the Polish intelligentsia (and buried them in mass graves in the Katyn Forest) in an attempt to decapitate the nation and it's capacity for resistence and dissent.

There is a purely formal reason.... both Franco-Polish Kasprzycki-Gamelin Convention and Polish-British Common Defence Pact obliged signing countries to provide military help to each other in case of a war with Nazi Germany. Soviet Union at the time of preparation of these documents was not considered to be a German ally.

Also, it allowed for the future allied pact which included the Soviet Union. hitler was the main threat at the time. didn't Stalin say that they were just "protecting" the Belorussians, who were, after all, the majority in the Russian sector of occupied Poland? Ah yes....politics and politicians don't always act logically....sorry.

Answer 2

The British felt it was only a matter of time until Germany turned against Soviet Russia and were most likely hoping that Germany would do the sensible thing and continue moving East. That is what Hitler declared in Mein Kamp. That he viewed Russia as an empty land to be filled with superior Germans. Britain's stance worked two ways // \\ in the end what mattered was that when Hitler did strike east, Britain and Allies were able to join Russia without any tinge of 'guilt.' There is also the odd chance that if Britain had declared War against Soviet Russia then Russia would truly have joined Hitler and then the results could have been truly distasterous. As it was things worked out for the Allies especially Soviet Russia which not only seized parts of Poland and the Baltic coast but later on large chunks of Europe....

Actually all parties blundered badly. Instead of simply declaring war against Germany the Allies, at that time only Britain and France, even France would have done well by attacking Germany while they were engaged in Poland. The result may have been a war of attrition much like 1914-18 but better than what resulted from sitting behind borders hoping for the best.

Peace............................ /// ---------- O . u . O ----------- \\\

Answer 3

Well Germany attacked Poland first. At the time the Soviet Union was Germany's ally since it took a hunk of Poland too. I think that England and France were more woried about Germany because it was closer. Remember France had already tried conquering Russia once and it was a disaster.

Answer 4

Hitler was seen as the more immediate enemy and Germany was closer to France and Britain.
Even if they had declared war on the Soviet Union it would have been difficult to act on it because of distance and access

Answer 5

Germany was already in a declared war with Russia. England and France declared war on Germany only AFTER Germany declared war on them.. so they had not choice.

Answer 6

The same reason the USSR didn't declare war on Japan. (until 1945) . They could not not take on both countries at once. Besides the Soviets "invasion" was a guise of " we are here to protect you" from the Germans. As in the case of Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Answer 7

worldwide war II began often with the aid of fact the yankee human beings have been unwilling to connect the League of international locations on the top of international war I, thereby removing what could have been that enterprise's considerable protection tension capability. This brought about, or allowed a minimum of, Hitler's upward push to capability in Germany. there have been quite a few factors at which he grew to become into thoroughly overextended and any style of a teach of tension via the League or maybe in basic terms a number of its member international locations might have placed an end to his plans, however the different eu powers constantly caved in to him, appeasing him at virtually each and every turn and permitting the territory, manpower and uncooked components under his rule to repeatedly develop. Then while the Friendship %. between Germany and Russia grew to become into signed, his back grew to become into coated and he ought to attack, first Poland and then the international locations to the west. American isolationism grew to become into the main considerable reason.

Answer 8

Because Stalin was a bad guy.