Anti-Comintern Pact
From Free net encyclopedia
The Anti-Comintern Pact was concluded between Nazi Germany and Japan on November 25, 1936. The pact was directed against the Communist International (Comintern) in general, and the Soviet Union in particular.
- "recognizing that the aim of the Communist International, known as the Comintern, is to disintegrate and subdue existing States by all the means at its command; convinced that the toleration of interference by the Communist International in the internal affairs of the nations not only endangers their internal peace and social well‑being, but is also a menace to the peace of the world desirous of co‑operating in the defense against Communist subversive activities"
In case of an attack by the Soviet Union against Germany or Japan, the two countries agreed to consult on what measures to take "to safeguard their common interests". They also agreed that neither of them would make any political treaties with the Soviet Union, and Germany also agreed to recognize the Japanese puppet regime in Manchuria. In 1937 Italy joined the Pact, thereby forming the group that would later be known as the Axis Powers.
Italy's joining was more or less a reaction against the failed Stresa front, the Franco-British initiative of 1935 designed to keep Nazi Germany from extending beyond her borders, and particularly to prevent the annexation of Austria (where Austrian Nazis had recently assassinated the pro-Italian dictator Engelbert Dollfuss). In June 1935, an Anglo-German Naval Agreement was signed, followed by mistrust from the unknowing France and Italy.
Italy had invaded the African State of Abyssinia in October 1935, an act of unprovoked aggression and breach of the League of Nations. Nevertheless, Britain and France hashed out a secret agreement with Italy to give her two-thirds of Abyssinia, known as the Hoare-Laval Pact. When this information was leaked to the public in Britain and France, their governments were mired in scandal, the British Foreign Secretary, Samuel Hoare, was forced to resign, and the pact was aborted. Mussolini realized that future governments of France and Britain would be less accommodating.
Adolf Hitler broke the terms of the pact when he signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in August 1939. By 1940, Hitler began to plan the invasion of the Soviet Union, and the German foreign minister, Joachim von Ribbentrop, was sent to negotiate a new treaty with Japan. On September 25, 1940, Ribbentrop sent a telegram to Vyacheslav Molotov, the Soviet foreign minister, informing him that Germany, Italy and Japan were about to sign a military alliance. Ribbentrop tried to reassure Molotov by claiming that this alliance was to be directed towards the United States and not the Soviet Union:
- "Its exclusive purpose is to bring the elements pressing for America's entry into the war to their senses by conclusively demonstrating to them if they enter the present struggle they will automatically have to deal with the three great powers as adversaries."
The Anti-Comintern Pact was revived in 1941, after Germany's assault on the Soviet Union that commenced with Operation Barbarossa and on November 25 its renewal for another five years was celebrated. This time the parties were: Germany, Japan, Italy, Hungary, Spain, Manchukuo, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Romania, Slovakia, and the Nanking regime in China.
See also
External links
- Statement by Ribbentrop on the Declaration of War on the Soviet Union 22 June 1941
- The text of the Anti-Comintern Pact
- The text of the Supplementary protocol of the Pact
- The text of Italian prticipation to the Pactbg:Антикоминтернов пакт
da:Antikominternpagten de:Antikomintern-Pakt eo:Antikominterna pakto it:Patto anticomintern ja:日独防共協定 no:Anti-Komintern-pakten pt:Pacto Anti-Comintern fi:Antikomintern-sopimus sv:Antikominternpakten