Anglo-Soviet Agreement
Encyclopedia
The Anglo-Soviet Agreement was a formal military alliance signed by the United Kingdom
and the Soviet Union
against Germany
on July 12, 1941; shortly after the German invasion of the latter
. Both powers pledged to assist each other and not make separate peace with Germany.
The USA perceived this to mean that the USSR intended to support the re-establishment of independent Polish, Czech, and Yugoslav states at the end of the war.(Lynn Davis 2000)
According to the Anglo-Soviet Agreement, the following conditions were settled upon by both governments of the United Kingdom and Russian Socialist Soviet Republic:
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
against Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
on July 12, 1941; shortly after the German invasion of the latter
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
. Both powers pledged to assist each other and not make separate peace with Germany.
The USA perceived this to mean that the USSR intended to support the re-establishment of independent Polish, Czech, and Yugoslav states at the end of the war.(Lynn Davis 2000)
Terms of the Agreement
The treaty was drawn up and signed in the English language and later translated into Russian, whereupon agreement between parties was established and authenticity recognized.According to the Anglo-Soviet Agreement, the following conditions were settled upon by both governments of the United Kingdom and Russian Socialist Soviet Republic:
- Refrainment from hostile actions and/or undertakings against the other party, including:
- Direct or indirect propaganda against the opposing government outside of the borders of each respective country.
- Encouragement of other countries to undertake hostile action against the opposing government.
- Allowance of citizens of the opposing country to return home.
- Removal of trade and economic blockades existing between the two aforementioned countries.
- The only exception would be the regulation of the trade in arms and ammunition.
- The opposing country's ships, with all respective contents including crew and cargo, receive respective privileges and treatments established in accord to all foreign merchant ships. In addition:
- The British government's allowance of free naval navigation to Russian ships corresponding to the freedoms entitled to ships of other nationalities.
- Information pertaining to the placement of mines be given to the opposing country in order to help establish safe passage for the ships of each respective country.
- Each respective country may nominate a number of its nationals to ensure proper effect be given to the Agreement.
- Persons admitted to withhold this Agreement are at liberty to communicate freely with their respective country.
- Passports and documents of identity shall be treated in the other country as consistent with those issued or certified by authorities of a recognized foreign government.