Germany and Japan created the Anti-Comintern Pact of 1936 because both, in their quest for expansion, stumbled into conflict with Russia. Another motivating factor was that both nations felt left out of the newly divided up colonies spread across the globe. Germany who had been recovering from its World War I damage was never given a chance to take control and develop an empire like the rest of the western nations. Japan was left alone in the east, but was forced to watch as the western nations came in and took control over her surrounding countries, leaving them nothing left to colonize, except China. Hitler looked to Japan to be that ally, because when Japan started to expand into China in 1931, the Russians provided resistance, supporting their Communist partners, thus ending Japan and Russia's years of cooperation.

This map shows Japanese expansion throughout China and shows where a conflict with Russia would arise.

All negotiations for the Anti-Comintern Pact were handled by Joachim von Rippentrop for Germany and the Japanese military, with Rippentrop initiating discussions between himself and Oshima, Japan's military attaché in Berlin. The text of the actual agreement was finalized on September 25. Premier Hirota and Privy Councillor Arai spoke to the Japanese cabinet on November 20, 1936, to ease any tension about the pact, saying that the purpose was to "protect the common interests of both Japan and Germany against the armed pressure exerted by the Soviet Union." Aria also said in a speech to the Privy Council on November 25 saying that should Russia decide to act against Japan they would also have to deal with Germany thanks to this agreement, and thus Japan would be able to expand further into China without a problem. Mushakoji, the Ambassador to Berlin and Rippentrop signed the Anti-Comintern Pact later that day. The final copy included a published treaty and a secret agreement between the two sides, which read as follows:

"…the secret attached agreement provides that the two governments (Japan and Germany), recognize that the Soviet Union is working towards the realization of the goal of the Comintern, and wanting to use its army for that cause, perceive that this fact threatens the existence of the parties and world peace in general and agree that should one of the parties be unprovokedly attacked or threatened by the Soviet Union the other party agrees not to carry out any measure which will relieve the position of the Soviet Union, but will immediately consult on measures to preserve their common interests. The parties will not during the period of this agreement and without mutual consent conclude political treaties with the Soviet Union which do not conform to the spirit of this agreement."

Joachim von Rippentrop, the German negotiator to Japan

The results of the Pact paid off on both ends, especially for Japan who was granted more freedom to move around and take territory in China. The problems only began to arise when in 1938, Germany began to demand more involvement on Japan's behalf in European affairs.

Nazi-Soviet Pact

Bibliography

This exhibit was researched and designed by [Scott Wolfrom].

This exhibit and museum were created during an introductory seminar on the Asia-Pacific War, taught at Wake Forest University during the spring semester 2002.

The material and opinions are those of their respective authors and do not represent the views of the University or the Department of History.