Soviet Invasion of Poland 1939: Stalin, Hitler, and the Partition of Poland

World History: True Stories of the 20th Century · Jun 22, 2026 · 11m

The Soviet invasion of Poland on 17 September 1939 completed the partition of Poland and reshaped Eastern Europe at the start of World War II. On 1 September 1939, Nazi Germany invaded Poland, marking the beginning of World War II. Just over two weeks later, the Soviet Union attacked from the east—sealing Poland’s fate. This video explores the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, the secret deal between Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin that divided Eastern Europe into spheres of influence and led directly to the partition of Poland. It also examines cooperation between the NKVD — the Soviet Union’s…