The German-Soviet Pact
Meissner arrived in Moscow on May 9th 1939. Soviet news reels described it as a great coming together of friendly rulers where Stalin could continue his work of maintaining order in Europe. In reality Stalin wanted Meissner to agree to his plans to split Eastern Europe with him. Having grown more confident this time Stalin proposed that: Germany invade Poland in early September, one week later the Soviets would attack from the Eats and force a Polish surrender the former state of Poland would then be split according to the map bellow, The Baltic states would allow be annexed by the Soviet Union allow the port of Memel would be returned to Germany, the already reduced Czechoslovakian state would then be split between Hungary and Germany as Slovakia and Ruthenia would become Hungarian whilst Bohemia and Moravia would become German territory, finally Stalin wished to turn on the currently Democratic Romania, the Soviet Union would gain Bessarabia and Northern Burkovina whilst areas in Transylvania with large Magyar majorities would be reunited with Hungary.
Map of Stalin’s ‘New Europe’
Allow Meissner was in agreement that the rogue Polish state had to be removed, he was shocked by Stalin’s request to take territory from a democratic state and felt that a further division of Czechoslovakia would be a blatant violation of the Munich Agreement. Meissner wished to limit the Pact to the division of Poland and the Baltic states. After weeks of negotiations the Pact was finally signed; Germany would initiate the invasion of Poland and one week into the conflict the Red Army would invade from the East and Stalin’s proposed division would stand, Stalin would then b given until the end of 1941 to bring Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania under his control (once Lithuania was secure the Soviet Union would hand Memel over to Germany) whilst both nations would guarantee the borders of Czechoslovakia and Romania and a Non-Aggression Pact would be signed between the two powers. The Non-Aggression Pact would be the only detail made known to the rest of the world.
Stalin signing the pact
Upon his return to Germany Meissner sent a telegram to Neville Chamberlain informing him of the ‘secret clauses’ of the Pact but reassured him that this would be as far as he meant to go and that Stalin would was a trustworthy man who would similarly honour this agreement. Chamberlain was actually pleased to hear this news feeling that Europe would finally be at peace, he offered Meissner his support but warned that Britain would not get involved in the Polish conflict. The dumbfounded Anthony Eden resigned within weeks of hearing the news.
Back in Moscow Stalin was furious, he had been denied Bessarabia and the Fascists in Czechoslovakia were being protected. He didn’t even have time to propose the annexation of Finnish Karelia. He sent Lavrenti Beria to manufacture another excuse to take the Karelian territory and ordered him to sent spies to examine the Reichswehr.
Meissner arrived in Moscow on May 9th 1939. Soviet news reels described it as a great coming together of friendly rulers where Stalin could continue his work of maintaining order in Europe. In reality Stalin wanted Meissner to agree to his plans to split Eastern Europe with him. Having grown more confident this time Stalin proposed that: Germany invade Poland in early September, one week later the Soviets would attack from the Eats and force a Polish surrender the former state of Poland would then be split according to the map bellow, The Baltic states would allow be annexed by the Soviet Union allow the port of Memel would be returned to Germany, the already reduced Czechoslovakian state would then be split between Hungary and Germany as Slovakia and Ruthenia would become Hungarian whilst Bohemia and Moravia would become German territory, finally Stalin wished to turn on the currently Democratic Romania, the Soviet Union would gain Bessarabia and Northern Burkovina whilst areas in Transylvania with large Magyar majorities would be reunited with Hungary.
Map of Stalin’s ‘New Europe’
Allow Meissner was in agreement that the rogue Polish state had to be removed, he was shocked by Stalin’s request to take territory from a democratic state and felt that a further division of Czechoslovakia would be a blatant violation of the Munich Agreement. Meissner wished to limit the Pact to the division of Poland and the Baltic states. After weeks of negotiations the Pact was finally signed; Germany would initiate the invasion of Poland and one week into the conflict the Red Army would invade from the East and Stalin’s proposed division would stand, Stalin would then b given until the end of 1941 to bring Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania under his control (once Lithuania was secure the Soviet Union would hand Memel over to Germany) whilst both nations would guarantee the borders of Czechoslovakia and Romania and a Non-Aggression Pact would be signed between the two powers. The Non-Aggression Pact would be the only detail made known to the rest of the world.
Stalin signing the pact
Upon his return to Germany Meissner sent a telegram to Neville Chamberlain informing him of the ‘secret clauses’ of the Pact but reassured him that this would be as far as he meant to go and that Stalin would was a trustworthy man who would similarly honour this agreement. Chamberlain was actually pleased to hear this news feeling that Europe would finally be at peace, he offered Meissner his support but warned that Britain would not get involved in the Polish conflict. The dumbfounded Anthony Eden resigned within weeks of hearing the news.
Back in Moscow Stalin was furious, he had been denied Bessarabia and the Fascists in Czechoslovakia were being protected. He didn’t even have time to propose the annexation of Finnish Karelia. He sent Lavrenti Beria to manufacture another excuse to take the Karelian territory and ordered him to sent spies to examine the Reichswehr.
