Was the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact supposed to last 10 years?

[davidmich]

Hi

I had read recently that the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was supposed to last 10 years? I found nothing on Wikipedia to support this. Is it just a fabrication?

Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact

I look forward to your feedback.

[MEBuckner]

Text of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact:

Article VI. The present Treaty is concluded for a period of ten years, with the proviso that, in so far as one of the High Contracting Parties does not advance it one year prior to the expiration of this period, the validity of this Treaty shall automatically be extended for another five years.

[davidmich]

@MEBuckner

Text of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact:

Thank you MEBuckner. Very helpful.

[Dissonance]

Just to note the obvious, Hitler never had any intention of actually abiding by it for ten years.

[Tim_T-Bonham.net]

@Dissonance

Just to note the obvious, Hitler never had any intention of actually abiding by it for ten years.

Probably Stalin didn’t either.
From what I’ve read, he could see that Hitler would sooner or later go to war with Western Europe. He expected to wait until both sides had exhausted themselves fighting each other, than he would come in to pick up some of the pieces.

If the Allies were losing, possibly facing a crippling treaty like Versailles, then the USSR could support socialist revolutions in those countries. Probably, Germany & Italy would have similar economic troubles after a prolonged war, so revolutions might be possible there. Or, if Germany was clearly losing, the USSR could invade from the east to get parts of Germany & eastern Europe.

Though Stalin was not actually a veteran of WWI like Hitler, he, just like the leaders of France & England, was greatly influenced by that war.