Anglo-Soviet Agreement

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.^[1]

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.^[2]

References

1. Chubarov, Alexander. Russia's Bitter Path to Modernity: A History of the Soviet and Post-Soviet Eras, pg. 119
2. Ullman, Richard H. The Anglo-Soviet Accord, Princeton University Press, 1972, pg. 474-478