The Days that Changed the World: 23 August, 1939. The signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact.

On 23 August 1939, two dictators who despised each other made a decision that reshaped the world. In this episode, we explore the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact — often known as the Nazi-Soviet Pact — and its profound impact on Europe and the outbreak of the Second World War.In the first of a new series on THE DAYS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD, Roger Moorhouse and Antonia Senior discuss the tense negotiations in Moscow, the secret territorial agreements, and the shock felt across the political spectrum when Stalin and Hitler aligned their interests. Far from being a footnote, this moment led directly to the invasion of Poland and the dismemberment of Eastern Europe, sealing the fate of millions and altering global history.We also examine how this episode has been remembered — and misremembered — and why it remains crucial to understanding both Stalin’s strategic mindset and the origins of the war.Recommended readings are shared at the end of the conversation for those looking to dive deeper.Why the 1939 pact changed the course of historyStalin and Hitler’s unlikely diplomatic manoeuvringWhat the secret protocols really meant for Eastern EuropeReactions inside the international communist movementThe pact’s human and geopolitical consequencesWhere this moment fits in wider WWII historiographyRealpolitik and ideological betrayalThe invasion of Poland and division of Eastern EuropeHistorical memory and overlooked turning pointsThe scale of suffering unleashed by the agreement“Stalin is a very canny operator.”“The suffering is immense on both sides.”“It’s a day that changed the world.”