Tripartite Pact

In September 1940, the Triple Pact between Germany, Italy and Japan was concluded in Berlin. He divided the spheres of influence in the world: Japan – East Asia, Germany and Italy – Europe.

The participants pledged to assist each other in carrying out the "policy of seizures". It was pointed out that these obligations did not affect their relations with the Soviet Union, but in reality the pact was directed against her and Moscow was aware of this.

Hitler invited Stalin to join the pact, abandoning active politics in Europe and expanding towards India and the Middle East.

In response, Stalin put forward demands that the Third Reich could not initially arrange – to withdraw German troops from Finland, to agree to the creation of a Soviet naval base in the Black Sea Straits and to Soviet domination in Bulgaria.

The Germans didn't even respond.

And on December 18, 1940, Hitler approved the Barbarossa plan – an attack on the USSR.