"Nothing personal - just international politics."

Good day, dear readers. Today, I would again like to talk about the strange "dialectic" observed in the perception of some historical events from the so-called "civilized and democratic" world.

Very often we can hear from representatives of the West or his domestic lovers that they say, "The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact is a terrible crime against international law." The fact that a secret agreement with Nazi (!!!) Germany was a manifestation of the criminal essence of the USSR and that the agreement on the division of spheres of influence is a crime in itself against international legitimacy.

Today we’ll try to understand whether this is really so.

But first, a small note:

Firstly, in order to sensibly and objectively evaluate a particular phenomenon, it is necessary to distance oneself from emotions and personal preferences. Our personal sympathy or hostility towards the state should not be a basis for evaluating its actions.

Secondly, to evaluate crime \ "not crime", normality \ abnormality, acceptability \ unacceptability of state actions, it is necessary to take into account the international socio-historical and political contexts.

In this regard, in order to give a sober and objective assessment of the so-called of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, it is necessary to understand what place in the international politics of that period was occupied by agreements (including secret ones) on the division of spheres of influence. How often did states conclude such agreements and were there any among them that were concluded with representatives of the so-called "Axis countries" - Germany, Italy and Japan.

So, let us begin our walk on the history of agreements on the delimitation of spheres of influence between the largest geopolitical players of the late 19th - mid 20th centuries.

1. Britain, Turkey, Cyprus.

The Cyprus Convention of 1878 is a secret treaty concluded between the British and Ottoman empires.

This convention on a “defensive alliance” between Turkey and Britain was directed against the spread of Russian influence in Turkish territories, populated mainly by Armenians, Pontic Greeks and Kurds.

Britain pledged to help the Ottoman Empire against Russia (the latter had just defeated the Turks), and in return received the island of Cyprus under its protectorate. For 100 thousand pounds a year, Cyprus became the actual colony of Britain, although formally remained part of the Ottoman Empire.

Later, when Turkey entered the First World War on the side of Germany, Great Britain simply annexed Cyprus and now officially made it its colony.

Secret agreement against the expansion of Russian influence? Nothing personal - just international politics.

2. Great Britain, France, colonies.

The Anglo-French Agreement of 1904. The so-called "cordial agreement" between the two largest world colonial powers. This agreement, or rather a series of agreements on colonial territories, was signed on 04/08/1904 and constituted the end of almost a century of disputes over the colonies between France and Britain.

Among other things, the agreements included territories such as Newfoundland, the Kingdom of Thailand (Siam), colonies in the Strait of Mozambique and the New Hebrides.

There have also been joint declarations regarding the status of Egypt and the Moroccan Sultanate. The latter were accompanied by secret articles.

Treaty on the division of spheres of influence? Secret articles? Nothing personal - just international politics.

3. The London Agreement. Great Britain, France, Italy.

The division of spheres of influence in Abyssinia (Ethiopian Empire) between Britain, France and Italy. It was concluded on December 13, 1906.

This agreement recorded the situation in Ethiopia and secured the spheres of influence of the above colonial empires. It implied a joint procedure for resolving all future disputes around Ethiopia and established the complete economic dominance of Britain, France and Italy in the region.

Moreover, it should be noted that it also guaranteed the state sovereignty of Ethiopia itself - the only African state that was able to defend its independence from the colonial powers (mainly from Italy and, in particular, with Russian support). This agreement, among other things, was intended to limit the influence of Germany and Russia in East Africa.

An agreement on the division of spheres of influence, directed, in particular, against Russia? Nothing personal - just international politics.

4. The Russian and British Empire. The end of the Big Game.

The Convention, signed in 1907 in St. Petersburg between the Russian and British empires, finally fixing the spheres of influence of these powers in the Asian region.

Russia recognized Afghanistan for Britain and pledged not to enter into negotiations with its emir. Iran was divided into Russian, British and neutral zones. Tibet was recognized as the possession of Qing China (after a few years, it still came under significant British influence).

An agreement between world powers on the division of spheres of influence in a gigantic region? Pass by, don’t stop, there is nothing unusual here - it’s just international politics.

5. The Russian-Italian agreement of 1909.

A secret treaty between the kingdom of Italy and the Russian Empire, which divided the spheres of interests of these states in the Balkans. In fact, this agreement accelerated the preparation of Italians to tear Libya (Tripolitania and Cyrenaica) from the Ottoman Empire in 1911-12.

Russia's neutrality in the matter of the Italian annexation of Libya was achieved in exchange for the recognition of Russian claims to the Bosporus and Dardanelles. Russia also assured Italy of a favorable attitude towards the interests of the latter in the Balkans (Albania). Essentially, there was a secret Russo-Italian alliance against Turkey and Austria-Hungary.

It was the Italian invasion of Libya and the subsequent defeat of Turkey that became the catalyst for two Balkan wars and, as a result, led to the transformation of the Balkans into the powder keg of Europe, the explosion of which, in the future, served as the beginning of the First World War.

Secret pact on the division of spheres of influence between major world powers? Four wars directly or indirectly provoked by this pact? Nothing unusual - just international politics.

6. Russia, France and Britain in advance divide Turkish territories.

Agreement between Britain, France and Russia in 1915. A secret agreement between the Entente states that governs the territorial claims of the Allies after the future defeat of the Ottoman Empire in the war.

The Russian empire, according to this agreement, was to receive Constantinople (Istanbul) and the Black Sea straits (Bosphorus and Dardanelles), in exchange for this, the Russian fleet was obliged to conduct the Bosphorus operation, and Russia abandoned most of its claims in the Asian part of the Ottoman Empire.

Secret agreement between the three world powers on the division of spheres of influence in the region after the defeat of the fourth world power? No wonder - just international politics.

7. The same and Italy.

T.N. The Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916. A secret treaty between Great Britain, France, Russia and Italy on the division of spheres of influence in the Middle East after the victory of the above states in the First World War.

Under this agreement, Russia took possession of Constantinople, the Black Sea straits, as well as a number of territories torn away during the war with Turkey - Western Armenia, Northern Kurdistan and the territory of the so-called Ponta is the northeastern coastal territory of Asia Minor with the city of Trebizond.

Red - Britain, blue - France, green - Russia.

Britain received the bulk of Iraq, Jordan and part of Palestine. France inherited the southeastern part of Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and northern Iraq. Italy, the last to sign the agreement (after ratifying its participation by Russia), got at its disposal significant territories of south-western and central Anatolia. All promises made earlier to the local Arab anti-Turkish forces were ignored.

The agreement on the division of major powers by spheres of influence? Are you still surprised? Do you still think this is so unusual? Calm down, there is nothing special here - just international politics.

8. Russia in the sight of world powers.

Agreement between Great Britain and France from the end of 1917. This convention shared the spheres of influence of France and Great Britain already in Russia itself, in which a few months earlier the Bolsheviks, headed by V.I. Lenin, not recognized by world powers.

The French, according to this agreement, took the territory of Ukraine, Tauris (Crimea) and Bessarabia. The UK received, according to this convention, the entire Russian Caucasus, the territories of the Don and Kuban, as well as the territories occupied by Russia from the Ottoman Empire (Western Armenia and Northern Kurdistan).

In parallel, the independence of Poland, Finland and the Baltic states was recognized.

Nothing lasts forever under the moon. And now Russia, which itself recently greedily divided the territory of the “unfinished bear” - the Ottoman Empire, is divided into parts by yesterday’s allies.

What is it? Section of spheres of influence? Separation of the state and support within it of separatist movements and independent territorial entities? No, this is just international politics.

9. The temporarily unfulfilled hopes of the Italian fascists.

T.N. The Mussolini-Graham Pact is an agreement of 1925 between fascist Italy and Great Britain on the division of spheres of influence in the Ethiopian empire. It is caused by the problems of British and Italian capital in the implementation of their plans for Ethiopian concessions.

Also, an important reason for this agreement was the desire of fascist Italy to unite its possessions in the region (Italian Eritrea and Somalia) with a transport corridor through Ethiopia.

Since this agreement between Italy and Britain violated the London agreements (number 3 in our article), Ethiopia (with the help of France) through the League of Nations was able to force fascist Italy and the United Kingdom to abandon the agreements.

But in less than 11 years, Britain and France will still give Ethiopia to the caring hands of the Italian fascists. But what is it? An agreement with the Nazis on the division of spheres of influence? USSR, are you? No, this is a democratic and civilized United Kingdom.

10. Franco-Italian agreement on East Africa.

T.N. The Mussolini-Laval Pact, concluded in January 1935, is a series of agreements on several issues of concern between France and fascist Italy. This agreement (which included secret clauses) delimited the spheres of influence of France and fascist Italy in East Africa and, in particular, directly guaranteed France’s non-interference in the event of military aggression of fascist Italy against sovereign Ethiopia.

In exchange for this, Italy provided non-aggression guarantees for French possessions in the region (French Somalia, now Djibouti). France also retained concessions on the Ethiopian section of the railway from Djibouti to the capital of Ethiopia after the occupation of the latter (1935-1936).

This agreement was the first in a series of international treaties in line with the so-called. “Appeasement policies” when France and Britain obediently fed more and more new territories to aggressive fascist regimes. How it ended, and who eventually had to rake this thing, we all know very well.

What is it? Accident, negligence or foresight? No, this is just the "norm" of international politics. For the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact for another 4 years.

11. Secret Anglo-French agreement on the surrender of Ethiopia.

The Chora Laval Agreement is a secret agreement of December 8, 1935 between Britain and France, regarding the territorial claims of Italy in Ethiopia. According to these agreements, the transfer of vast lands of Ethiopia in favor of Italy was supposed. In return, Ethiopia was supposed to gain small territories with access to the sea.

Given the fact that Italy has attacked Ethiopia for several months (without declaring war, as it is familiar ..), this step was the clearest example of the duplicity of the Western "democracies" of France and Great Britain - key members of the League of Nations, where, understanding the inevitability of Italian aggression , Ethiopia sought help.

Italian colonial empire

And it is unlikely that dear readers will be surprised by the fact that the Great Powers, among other things, refused to sell weapons to panic Ethiopia, refused to let in and confiscated cargo with weapons, and refused to close the Suez Canal for the passage of Italian military vessels.

Only two years passed and the UK signed the so-called fascist Italy. The "Easter Agreement" of 1938, according to which it fully recognized the capture of Ethiopia by Italy as legal.

What do you call it? Secret arrangements for surrendering to the fascists a sovereign state, flavored with a refusal to sell the latter weapons for self-defense? Maybe this is a deliberate pumping up of fascist regimes by territories and colonies to realize their campaign to the East? No, everything is much simpler - nothing personal ..! And do these people tell us something about the Molotov-Ribbentropp Pact? Seriously?!

12. The forgotten English-Japanese version of the "Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact."

The Anglo-Japanese agreement of 1939. T.N. The Arita Craigi Pact is a treaty signed on July 15, 1939, under which Britain untied the hands of Japanese militarists in the Far East and Southeast Asia.

Japan, which had been waging war in China for several years, received complete freedom of action and a guarantee that Great Britain would not prevent militaristic Japan from conducting aggression against China.

Thus, the world power of Great Britain with its own hands allowed Hitler’s ally of Japan to carry out territorial expansion in Southeast Asia and Oceania, to carry out genocide of the local population and build up her (Japan) military-economic potential.

And all this a month before the conclusion of the so-called. "Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact." What is it? The duplicity of the Western world? Double standards? No - this is the norm of international law in the performance of Western "civilized" states.

13. "Land of the Aryans" under the occupation of the allies.

And the last for today is the Soviet-British agreement on the division of temporary (during the war) spheres of influence and joint occupation of Shah Iran in 1941.

It was caused by a significant increase in the influence of the Nazis in Iran, the formation of an ultra-right shock environment in the Shah state and the need to control the transport routes along which the allies supplied aid to the USSR.

If the agreement between the USSR and Germany "on the division of spheres of influence" in Europe always causes a storm of indignation and a flurry of emotions, then this agreement and the subsequent operation "Consent" on the occupation of Iran (with the previous numerous warnings and persuasions) do not enjoy such popularity among those who denounce the "bloody Soviet regime. " Strange, isn't it? The agreement on the division of spheres of influence with Germany is “fuu!”, And a similar agreement with Britain on Iran is normal. No wonder - just double standards.

To summarize.

As you can see, dear readers, the secret agreements on the division of spheres of influence concluded between the major states of the world are a completely normal phenomenon of the late 19th - mid-20th century.

Everyone who denounces the USSR for the non-aggression pact with Germany signed by you (and you saw what the other powers were doing at that time) uses double standards, believing that the Western powers are allowed to "feed" entire regions to Hitler and Mussolini (we are Munich the conspiracy was not covered), and the USSR is not allowed to protect its sovereignty and the lives of its citizens (pushing the beginning of the inevitable war of annihilation).

To anyone who opens his mouth to you that the Molotov-Ribbentropp secret pact has grossly violated international law and is a testament to the crime of the “Soviet regime” - you, dear readers, can demonstrate the above-described examples of international legitimacy in the fulfillment of the “lights of democracy and justice” - France, Britain, Italy and the Russian Empire.