▁m un itions ▁and ▁soldiers , ▁and ▁helped ▁far - left ▁activ ists ▁come ▁to ▁Spain ▁as ▁volunte ers . ▁The ▁Spanish ▁government ▁let ▁the ▁USS R ▁have ▁the ▁government ▁tre as ury . ▁Soviet ▁units ▁system atically ▁liquid ated ▁an arch ist ▁supp or ters ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish ▁government . ▁Moscow ' s ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁government ▁gave ▁the ▁Republic ans ▁a ▁Commun ist ▁t aint ▁in ▁the ▁eyes ▁of ▁anti - B ols he vik s ▁in ▁Britain ▁and ▁France , ▁weak ening ▁the ▁calls ▁for ▁Ang lo - F rench ▁inter vention ▁in ▁the ▁war . ▁ ▁Naz i ▁Germany ▁prom ul g ated ▁an ▁Anti - Com intern ▁P act ▁with ▁Imperial ist ▁Japan ▁and ▁F asc ist ▁Italy , ▁along ▁with ▁various ▁Central ▁and ▁Eastern ▁European ▁states ▁( such ▁as ▁Hung ary ), ▁ost ens ibly ▁to ▁suppress ▁Commun ist ▁activity ▁but ▁more ▁real ist ically ▁to ▁for ge ▁an ▁al liance ▁against ▁the ▁USS R . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁▁ ▁St alin ▁arranged ▁the ▁Mol ot ov – R ib b ent rop ▁P act , ▁a ▁non - ag gression ▁p act ▁with ▁Naz i ▁Germany ▁on ▁August ▁ 2 3 , ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁German - S ov iet ▁Com mer cial ▁Ag re ement ▁to ▁open ▁economic ▁relations . ▁A ▁secret ▁append ix ▁to ▁the ▁p act ▁gave ▁Eastern ▁Poland , ▁Lat via , ▁Est onia , ▁B ess arab ia ▁and ▁Finland ▁to ▁the ▁USS R , ▁and ▁Western ▁Poland ▁and ▁Lith