R. Guyovich posted:

1mpper posted:

stalin wasn't "shocked" or "unprepared" for the nazi attack, the soviets were begging england, france, and poland to unite in an anti-nazi two front war for six years and were prepared to dedicate massive resources to do so, but were shot down by the western representatives. the molotov-ribbentrop non-aggression pact was simply a way to buy time and short-term security while they figured out how to deal with the looming threat without the help of the rest of europe. it was definitely a lot more practical and aware than the munich agreement, which the soviets weren't party to and viewed as the western powers selling out a country to the nazis & put into perspective how much they could count on them. soviet actions in finland, the baltic states, and poland make sense as defensive measures against germany.

just another way in which stalin did nothing wrong

1mpper posted:

youre thinking of a different impper bro. anyway the only people acknowledging that russia "committed horrible loving atrocities" in eastern poland are operating off of literal nazi propaganda, an actual campaign about these events that goebbels himself orchestrated, that gained traction during the cold war. the most credible account imo is that the soviets did execute some polish officers (military officers themselves guilty of brutal repression of socialists and civilians), then after the nazis invaded they executed many of the polish POWs left behind and blamed it all on the soviets. the evidence is murky enough that i think it'll be impossible to ever know what actually happened, but considering the actual evidence that there is, and the fact that nazis soon invaded and held the territory, i don't think this position is absurd or denialist. unless u think the people who perpetuated the holocaust would be above murdering a few thousand POWs and blame it on their enemies to sow a rift between the allies.