Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/molotovribbentrop-pact

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the official treaty name?Treaty of Non-Aggression between Germany and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
2. What is the date of signing?August 24, 1939 (backdated to August 23, 1939)
3. Why did Germany and the Soviet Union sign the pact?Germany wanted to avoid fighting on two fronts, and the Soviet Union wanted a safe zone and time to rearm, so both leaders signed the pact to protect their own interests.
4. What secret plan was hidden inside the pact?Inside the public treaty was a hidden addendum that split Poland and other countries into German and Soviet zones, deciding who would take which parts of the land.

Totalitarian Regimes: Governments with absolute control over citizens' lives, suppressing opposition and individual freedoms.
Blitzkrieg: A German military tactic meaning 'lightning war,' characterized by rapid, overwhelming attacks.
Lebensraum: A German term meaning 'living space,' representing Hitler's policy of territorial expansion eastward.
Realpolitik: A system of politics or policy based on practical considerations rather than on ideological or moral ones.