Anglo-Soviet Treaty of 1942 facts for kids

The Anglo-Soviet Treaty was a very important agreement between the United Kingdom (Britain) and the Soviet Union during World War II. It was officially called the Twenty-Year Mutual Assistance Agreement Between the United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. This treaty created a strong military and political team-up between these two powerful nations. They promised to help each other fight against Nazi Germany and not make a separate peace deal.

Why the Treaty Was Needed

The idea for this treaty came after an earlier agreement in July 1941. In that agreement, Britain and the Soviet Union decided they would work together to fight Germany.

Discussions for the new, bigger treaty started on December 15, 1941. This was just a week after the United States joined Britain and the Soviet Union to fight against the Axis powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan).

Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, had some big ideas for after the war. He hoped to get back lands that the Soviet Union had lost, like Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Ukraine, and Belarus. These areas were lost when Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, an attack called Operation Barbarossa. Stalin also wanted to divide Europe largely between Britain and the Soviet Union. However, Britain did not agree to these specific land deals, so they were not part of the final treaty.

What the Agreement Said

The Anglo-Soviet Treaty had two main parts:

• A military alliance that would last until World War II ended. This meant they would fight together.
• A political alliance that would last for 20 years. This meant they would work together on political matters for a long time.

The treaty was signed in London on May 26, 1942. Anthony Eden, who was Britain's Foreign Secretary, and Vyacheslav Molotov, the Soviet Foreign Minister, signed the agreement.

This was a "bilateral" treaty, meaning it was just between two countries. Other important Allies, like the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, British India, and the Republic of China, were not part of these specific discussions. Even countries like Czechoslovakia and France, whose governments were in exile because Germany occupied their lands, were not directly represented, even though the Soviets initially wanted to help shape their future after the war.

Why the Treaty Was Important

The Anglo-Soviet Treaty showed a change for Britain. Even though Britain's military was weaker after fighting in the war, it still had a lot of power in diplomatic talks.

Even though the Allies (including the Soviet Union, Britain, and the United States) won World War II and helped create the United Nations, their alliance eventually broke down. This led to the Cold War, a long period of tension and rivalry that lasted for about 50 years after the war.

See also

• Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran
• Anglo-Soviet relations
• Declaration by United Nations
• Diplomatic history of World War II
• History of the United Nations
• Percentages agreement

Images for kids

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  Comrades in Arms