Short Synopsis
From acclaimed historian Roger Moorhouse comes the definitive history of the pact that united Hitler and Stalin from 1939 to 1941.

Full Synopsis
History remembers the Soviets and the Nazis as bitter enemies and ideological rivals, the two opposing totalitarian regimes of World War II whose conflict would be the defining and deciding clash of the war. Yet for nearly a third of the conflict's entire timespan, Hitler and Stalin stood side by side as partners. The Pact that they agreed had a profound and bloody impact on Europe, and is fundamental to understanding the development and denouement of the war.

The Devils' Alliance explores the causes and implications of the Nazi-Soviet Pact, whose creation and dissolution were crucial turning points in World War II. Forged by Joachim von Ribbentrop, and his Soviet counterpart, Vyacheslav Molotov, the nonaggression treaty briefly united the two powers in a brutally efficient collaboration. The Germans and Soviets quickly conquered and divided central and eastern Europe. Hundreds of thousands of people caught between Hitler and Stalin were expropriated, deported, or killed. Fortunately for the Allies, the partnership ultimately soured. Ironically, however, the powers' exchange of material, blueprints, and technological expertise during the period of the Pact made possible a far more bloody and protracted war than would have otherwise been conceivable.

Combining comprehensive research with a gripping narrative, The Devils' Alliance is the authoritative history of the Nazi-Soviet Pact.

"Russian, German, French, and English are just a few of the languages Perkins handles without hesitation." ---AudioFile

"A well-researched work offering new understanding of the pact's pertinence to this day." ---Kirkus Starred Review

"In this well-researched and well-written book, the author details how two of history's most notorious dictators collaborated in secrecy for a common cause---domination." ---Library Journal Starred Review

"Readers of military and diplomatic history as well as those interested in the Holocaust will find this book immensely interesting and informative." ---Publishers Weekly

Kirkus Review

Library Journal Review