STALIN AND THE CAUSES OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR
For Alliance North America; Originally in North Star Compass


There are many bourgeois misconceptions about the Second World War; but two are particularly important to combat.
One is that Stalin was "unaware of the likelihood of attack" and was "taken by surprise".
The second is that the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was an act of treason by Stalin, against the international working class.

The two misconceptions are linked essential lies perpetuated by bourgeois historians to falsify history.

Firstly, Stalin was well aware that the biggest danger to world peace was German and Japanese imperialism. In fact Stalin is on record as saying to Antony Eden, in Moscow, that the situation was more dangerous than 1913:

In fact even earlier, Stalin had pointed out the danger emanating from the West: It was this understanding that informed the Stalin led attack on the Bukharinite Right Deviation : And why did Stalin see it this way? Because of the inevitability of the capitalist crisis of overproduction leading on to the re-division of the war: Therefore Stalin with Molotov and Zhadanov, tried to forge principled alliances. Hitler's ambitions on Russia were known: But the natural allies against German revanchist fascism were Britain, France and the USA.
These countries were also consumed with desire to destroy the USSR. Although the ruling classes of these countries were divided on the issue, the majority faction (Neville Chamberlain in the UK and Edouard Dualardier in France) were of the opinion to "appease" Hitler to drive him towards Russia first. To this end , they allowed a shameless policy of rapid re-armament of Germany and turning a blind eye to Hitler. As Stalin said to the 18th Congress of the CPSU in March 1939: This tactic of British and French imperialism was further exposed by the constant spurning of all the repeated USSR calls for a collective security pact. Lloyd George (Liberal party) made a speech in the UK Parliament upbraiding Chamberlain for making a unilateral guarantee to Poland without any talks with the USSR. Under pressure, the Government agreed to send a delegation to Moscow. However it was sent by very slow sea and rail (not air); and with secret instructions to : The real intent was clear - the British and French had no intention to secure a collective security agreement.
Moreover Chamberlain was secretly negotiating for a military alliance with Germany so threatening the USSR with a Four power enemy.
Sir Neville Henderson British Ambassador in Berlin reported to Lord Halifax (29th August 1939) a conversation with Hitler and Ribbentrtop: It was this that prompted the brilliant coup of the MOLOTOV RIBBENTROP PACT.
This spiked the guns of the British and French collusionists. But it also delayed the inevitable onset of war by enough time to allow Stalin and the party to move the factories East of the Urals and to gear up for the war.
Even virulent anti-Stalin writers such as the historian E.H.Carr admit that :