This story is a vomit full of lies. TIMOTHY SNYDER is a disgrace to Yale. Even the beginning of the article where he says "Soviets and Germans" were allies - he probably means "Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact". And then "Munich agreement" puts France and UK to the list of German allies too. Was it his intention? No. This is one big disgusting piece of propaganda that is probably ok for a CNN internetf-fact journalist (no one expects much from her), but not ok for a "professor of history".
Well, Ribbentrop-Molotov pact is not a lie, and Stalin's regime isn't a lie as well. 'Katyn' has been confirmed too, even by Russians (very reluctantly, however). I'm pretty sure you don't know what you are talking about, or you have been living under Soviet propaganda all your childhood.
Funny you didn't mention Munich agreement as well as the "professor" when this treaty casts shadow on UK and France. And then Molotov pacts is not a lie but a very smart move to try to gain time for the USSR after Europe was getting under Fascists with cheering . Stalin knew that Hitler is being pushed to the west, and the next Munich agreement would not be far. Stalin believed in non-aggression pact? No. But there was no other way to act in the circumstances. I would like to tell more i don't believe you are after the truth.
This is what propaganda is about - hiding facts, twisting truth, taking things out of context or just pure lie. We all live under propaganda. Tell me when you read anything good about Asad in Syria, or good about Putin or even Iran for that matter? This is propaganda.
“The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly - it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over.”
― Joseph Goebbels
Haha, our friend professor is mentioned in todays "the nation". Good lord.
"Knight’s innuendo prefigured a purported report on Ukraine by Yale professor Timothy Snyder in the February 20 issue. Omissions of facts, by journalists or scholars, are no less an untruth than misstatements of fact. Snyder’s article was full of both, which are widespread in the popular media, but these are in the esteemed NYRB and by an acclaimed academic. Consider a few of Snyder’s assertions..."
http://www.thenation.com/article/178344/distorting-russia#