Russia at war 1941-1945

mobilised, and had not been moved to the frontier. Important, too, was the fact that Fascist Germany unexpectedly and perfidiously violated the 1939 Non-Aggression

Pact between herself and the USSR, wholly indifferent to the consideration that she would be branded as the aggressor by the whole world.

Stalin then proceeded to justify the Soviet-German Pact.

One might well ask: How was it possible for the Soviet Government to sign a non-

aggression pact with such inhuman scoundrels as Hitler and Ribbentrop? Had not a

serious mistake been made? Of course not! A non-aggression pact is a peace pact

between two states, and that was the pact that Germany proposed to us in 1939. No peace-loving state could have rejected such a pact with another country, even if

scoundrels like Hitler and Ribbentrop stood at its head. All the more so, as this Pact did not in any way violate the territorial integrity, independence or honour of our country."

Stalin went on to say that the Pact had given the Soviet Union time to prepare against a German attack should Nazi Germany decide to embark on one.

This war has been inflicted on us, and our country has entered into a life-and-death struggle against its most wicked and perfidious enemy, German Fascism. Our

troops are fighting heroically against heavy odds, against an enemy heavily armed with tanks and aircraft... The main forces of the Red Army, armed with thousands

of tanks and planes, are now entering the battle... Together with the Red Army, the whole of our people are rising to defend their country.

The enemy is cruel and merciless. He aims at grabbing our land, our wheat and oil.

He wants to restore the power of the landowners, reestablish Tsarism, and destroy the national culture of the peoples of the Soviet Union... and turn them into the slaves of German princes and barons.

There should be no room in our ranks for whimperers and cowards, for deserters

and panic-mongers. Our people should be fearless in their struggle and should

selflessly fight our patriotic war of liberation against the Fascist enslavers...

After a reference to Lenin, Stalin said:

We must immediately put our whole production on a war footing, and place

everything at the service of the Front and the organisation of the enemy's rout... The Red Army and Navy and the whole Soviet people must fight for every inch of Soviet soil, fight to the last drop of blood for our towns and villages... We must organise every kind of help for the Red Army, make sure that its ranks are constantly

renewed, and that it is supplied with everything it needs. We must organise the