Poor Adolf Had No Choice

There are some interesting statements from Putin in the transcript of his interview with Tucker Carlson. Let me begin by stating that I have no problem with Tucker interviewing Putin. In fact, the interview was necessary to hear from Putin himself instead of statements from Russian media and pro-Putin bloggers.

(Pro-Putin bloggers is not a reference to any Ricochet members.)

Why was it Poland against whom the war started on 1 September 1939? Poland turned out to be uncompromising, and Hitler had nothing to do but start implementing his plans with Poland. - Putin

Poland being held responsible for their invasion and in turn are somehow responsible for starting WWII in Europe is Russian disinformation. Putin is not the first Russian state official to push this trope.

So before World War II, Poland collaborated with Hitler and although it did not yield to Hitler’s demands, it still participated in the partitioning of Czechoslovakia together with Hitler. As the Poles had not given the Danzig Corridor to Germany, and went too far, pushing Hitler to start World War II by attacking them. Why was it Poland against whom the war started on 1 September 1939? Poland turned out to be uncompromising, and Hitler had nothing to do but start implementing his plans with Poland. - Putin

Putin is referring to the Munich Agreement of September 30,1938, "a settlement reached by Germany, Great Britain, France, and Italy that permitted German annexation of the Sudetenland, in western Czechoslovakia." Polish diplomats were not involved in the settlement. Poland did annex a part of Czechoslovakia, but it was France not Hitler who urged Poland and Czechoslovakia to settle on an agreement.

France was an ally of both Poland and Czechoslovakia and tried repeatedly to get them to resolve their border disputes and become allies, and also collaborate with the Soviet Union. There was no success, not just because of the border issues but also because Prague's willingness to work with Moscow clashed with the firm resolve of Warsaw to keep its distance from Moscow. Czechoslovak President Edvard Beneš warned that military or even strong political ties with Poland could prove dangerous for Czechoslovakia. In 1938 Poland pursued its own territorial claims, and gave an ultimatum to the Czechoslovak government, which resulted in the annexation of the Trans-Olza region which in fact had a Polish majority. - from Wikipedia

Putin omits some more history concerning Poland.

By the way, the USSR — I have read some archive documents — behaved very honestly. It asked Poland’s permission to transit its troops through the Polish territory to help Czechoslovakia. But the then Polish foreign minister said that if the Soviet planes flew over Poland, they would be downed over the territory of Poland. - Putin

Once again Poland is to blame, and could have prevented WWII by allowing Russian troops to protect the Czechs from Germany. What he left unsaid is the Russian invasion of Poland in 1920. 700,000 Russian troops began the invasion of Poland, and they reached the outskirts of Warsaw. The Russian forces were routed in what is called The Miracle of the Vistula.

But that doesn’t matter. What matters is that the war began, and Poland fell prey to the policies it had pursued against Czechoslovakia, as under the well-known Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, part of that territory, including western Ukraine, was to be given to Russia. Thus Russia, which was then named the USSR, regained its historical lands. - Putin

What Putin does not mention about the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact is a secret protocol in the pact between Nazi Germany and Communist Russia. A secret protocol that the Soviet Union would get the eastern half of Poland along with Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia and Germany would invade Poland and occupy the western half of Poland.

Sometimes what is left unsaid is just as important as what is said.