1. Nonaggression and Divide of Influence: The pact ensured that the Soviet Union and Germany would remain at peace and would not engage in acts of aggression against each other. This gave both countries the freedom to pursue their interests in their respective spheres of influence. Germany had a free hand in Western Europe, while the Soviet Union had a clear path to expand its influence and gain territory in Eastern Europe.
2. Polish Partition and World War II: The secret protocols attached to the pact laid out plans for the partition of Poland, dividing the country between Germany and the Soviet Union. This marked the beginning of World War II, as the invasion of Poland by Germany on September 1, 1939, prompted Britain and France to declare war on Germany.
3. Short-Term Advantages: For Germany, the nonaggression pact initially brought short-term advantages by securing its eastern flank and freeing up its military resources, allowing it to focus on its expansionist plans in Western Europe.
4. Long-Term Disruption: The pact led to a fundamental miscalculation by both Hitler and Stalin. Hitler assumed that the Soviet Union would remain neutral, if not become an ally, if Germany invaded Poland. However, the pact failed to account for the longer-term ideological differences between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, resulting in a breakdown of relations and ultimately the invasion of the Soviet Union by Germany in 1941, opening up a second front for Germany in World War II.
5. International Condemnation: The pact also drew international condemnation and increased distrust of the Soviet Union, especially among Western powers like Britain and France, who saw it as a betrayal of democratic ideals and a sign of Soviet aggression.
6. Territorial Gains: In the aftermath of the pact, Germany quickly achieved territorial gains in Western Europe, including Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Poland, while the Soviet Union annexed parts of Poland, Eastern Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Bessarabia (part of Romania).
Overall, the pact represented a significant diplomatic maneuver that had both short-term advantages and long-term consequences for Germany and the course of World War II.