WWII - Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact Mark 2.0

[ruisramos]

“After Germany entered a Tripartite Pact with Japan and Italy, Ribbentrop wrote to Stalin, inviting Molotov to Berlin for negotiations aimed to create a 'continental bloc' of Germany, Italy, Japan and the USSR that would oppose Britain and the USA. Stalin sent Molotov to Berlin to negotiate the terms for the Soviet Union to join the Axis and potentially enjoy the spoils of the pact. After negotiations during November 1940 on where to extend the USSR's sphere of influence, Hitler broke off talks and continued planning for the eventual attempts to invade the Soviet Union.”

While searching the net for information about the WWII Nazi-Soviet pact I came across the above mentioned negotiations to include the SU in the Axis. Does anyone know about any additional, and more detailed, information on this?

I wonder how the spheres of influence would be divided between Gernany/Italy/SU/Japan and, if an agreement was reached, how would WWII evolve from there?

 

[Ariosto]

I only vaguely remember what I read in "Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" but it did cover this to an extent. Besides the problem of Hitler, there were also the problems of the Soviet and German spheres of influence overlapping. In the attempts by the Germans to bring the USSR into the Axis, they tried to divert Soviet attention South towards the Middle East and India; the USSR however also wanted Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey within their sphere, which was unacceptable to Germany. There were also other minor quibbles such as guaranteed access to the North Sea, and all in all, even without Hitler, it would have been very difficult to find an agreement that even left all those involved complacent.

 

[BlairWitch749]

the version I recall was that the Germans wanted the USSR to attack into india to throw the British to the mat... Stalin wanted Turkey and Bulgaria in return... and Hitler wanted Turkey and Bulgaria for himself so it became an impasse

 

[Ariosto]

the version I recall was that the Germans wanted the USSR to attack into india to throw the British to the mat... Stalin wanted Turkey and Bulgaria in return... and Hitler wanted Turkey and Bulgaria for himself so it became an impasse

Stalin had wanted to have Romania turned into something like Mongolia; a Soviet State that is almost but not quite within the USSR. However, given this meant that Germany would depend even more upon oil shipments from the Soviet zone, it was completely and totally unacceptable to the German leadership.

As for India and the rest, that pretty much sums up what was being discussed as well, though I am unsure how well the Soviet Military would do in India, or if they can even do beyond 'poor'.