u ania ▁to ▁Naz i ▁Germany . ▁This ▁reflected ▁the ▁Soviet ▁desire ▁of ▁territorial ▁g ains . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁p act ▁with ▁Hitler , ▁St alin ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 - 4 0 ▁an nex ed ▁half ▁of ▁Poland , ▁the ▁three ▁Balt ic ▁States , ▁and ▁Northern ▁ ▁B uk ov ina ▁and ▁B ess arab ia ▁in ▁Roman ia . ▁They ▁no ▁longer ▁were ▁buff ers ▁separ ating ▁the ▁USS R ▁from ▁German ▁areas , ▁arg ues ▁Louis ▁Fischer . ▁R ather ▁they ▁facil itated ▁Hitler ' s ▁rapid ▁advance ▁to ▁the ▁gates ▁of ▁Moscow . ▁ ▁Pro pag anda ▁was ▁also ▁considered ▁an ▁important ▁foreign ▁relations ▁tool . ▁International ▁exhib itions , ▁the ▁distribution ▁of ▁media ▁such ▁as ▁films , ▁e . g .: ▁Alexander ▁Nev ski , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁inv iting ▁prominent ▁foreign ▁individuals ▁to ▁tour ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union , ▁were ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁method ▁of ▁gain ing ▁international ▁influence ▁and ▁encourag ing ▁fellow ▁travel ers ▁and ▁pac if ists ▁to ▁build ▁popular ▁front s . ▁ ▁Start ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁Germany ▁inv aded ▁Poland ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 ; ▁the ▁USS R ▁followed ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 7 . ▁The ▁S ovi ets ▁quel led ▁opposition ▁by ▁executing ▁and ▁arrest ing ▁thousands . ▁They ▁re located ▁suspect ▁eth nic ▁groups ▁to ▁Si ber ia ▁in ▁four ▁waves , ▁ 1 9 3 9 – 1 9 4 1 . ▁ ▁Est im ates ▁varying ▁from ▁the ▁figure ▁over ▁ 1 . 5 ▁million