Ribbentrop's Lie About Russia In his speech in the House
of Commons last week Mr. Eden took the opportunity of nailing down a Nazi lie repeated by Ribbentrop in his after-luncheon speech to the quisling politicians assembled for the Anti-Comintern conference at Berlin. It was the old story that Russia started the war against Germany, embellished by the statement that in 1940 Britain had received assurances that the Soviet would come into the war on her side. Ribbentrop weakened the credibility of his story by adding that Britain and Russia concerted plans to attack German troops in the Balkans—a silly enough tale in view of the fact that it was precisely the absence of any such plans or understanding that made it so easy for Germany to subdue the Balkan States. Mr. Eden pointed out that we were continually handicapped by the fact that Russia held scrupulously to her pact with Germany. The British Government warned Russia of Germany's intention to attack her, but the warning was disregarded. Mr. Eden states definitely that there were no political or material conversations between this country and the Soviet Government until German troops had actually crossed the Russian frontier. Ribbentrop is in the position of attempting to excuse a policy of unprovoked aggression which has demonstrably not paid. His lie is ill- conceived. If Russia had really intended to attack, she obviously would not have waited till Germany had conquered the Balkans, but would have fallen on her while her armies were still occupied there. The plain fact remains that Hitler deliberately and characteristically attacked without notice or excuse a neighbour with whom he had triumphantly concluded a Non-Aggression Pact. It may prove the most fatal step he ever took.
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