Ep 10. Caught between Hitler and Stalin

In the tenth episode of season 1 of A History of Eastern Europe, titled Caught Between Hitler and Stalin, viewers delve deeper into the tensions and political strife present in the region during the 1930s and 1940s as Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union both sought to exercise their power.

The episode begins with a look into the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact between Hitler's Germany and Stalin's Russia, designed to secure the borders of both nations and provide a level of mutual support. This agreement also enabled the two dictators to divide Eastern Europe between them—an act that would have devastating consequences for the countries and peoples caught in the middle.

The episode then examines the ways in which Eastern European countries were forced to navigate the dangerous territorial politics of the time—often resulting in difficult, if not impossible, choices. Hungary, for example, allied itself with Nazi Germany in order to regain control over territories it had lost in World War I. Similarly, Romania sought to appease the Soviet Union while also hoping to secure its interests in the region. Poland, however, had no such luck; after their non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union was broken, they were invaded from both sides, with many Poles enduring brutal persecution and extermination.

This episode also sheds light on the gradual seep of politics into people's daily lives, as both the Nazis and the Soviets acquired more power and control in the region. Viewers will learn about the experience of living under the occupations, including the ways in which locals often participated in resistance movements against the regimes, such as the partisans in Yugoslavia and the Polish Home Army.

Throughout, the episode also explores the complex geopolitics at work in the region, with the Battle of Stalingrad proving an important turning point. By the end of the war, the Soviet Union had taken control of much of Eastern Europe—a development that would help shape the ongoing political debates and struggles in the region for decades to come.

As with previous episodes, Caught Between Hitler and Stalin is expertly researched, providing a nuanced and engaging exploration of Eastern Europe's complex political and cultural histories. Viewers will come away with a deeper understanding of this important moment in time and the ways in which it reverberated throughout future generations.