2. The Western Powers Had a Weak Hand When Dealing With the Soviets – And Played It Poorly
After the appeasement at Munich, the Soviets had something to offer both sides. The Germans negotiated seriously and made attractive offers, while Britain and France did not. And the Poles, looking at the only force that could physically come to their defense, declined the help. As the Soviets saw it, they owed the Western Powers and Poland nothing. Indeed, they had outstanding border claims against Poland.
The Germans offered to satisfy those claims, while the British and French offered little. That mattered to the Soviets, who were the ones expected to do the bulk of the fighting and dying in a war against Germany. Indeed, Germany’s foes’ offer of so little in exchange for the high price the USSR would pay for siding with them, seemed like sheer chutzpah – especially when contrasted with the benefits of a benevolent neutrality with Germany. Unsurprisingly, the Soviets accepted Hitler’s offer.
