The agreement for the division of Poland was a critical development in the geopolitical landscape of Europe shortly after the outbreak of World War II. Following the Nazi invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, the country faced a swift military campaign that prompted rapid capitulation from Polish forces. On September 17, the Soviet Union invaded from the east, a move coordinated with Nazi Germany due to the secret protocols of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. The formalization of the division occurred on September 28, marking the point at which the two totalitarian regimes agreed to delineate their territorial claims over Poland.

This partition had lasting consequences, as it perpetuated the brutal occupation of Poland by both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Each regime implemented severe measures against the Polish population, including widespread repression, displacement, and execution of political opponents. The Polish territory was subjected to Nazi racial policies and Soviet political purges, forever altering the demographic and cultural fabric of the nation.

The secret deal resulted in Poland being divided roughly along the Bug River, with Germany taking the western regions and the Soviets claiming the east. This division effectively erased Poland from the map until the end of the war, highlighting the collusion between two authoritarian regimes and setting the stage for further conflicts in Eastern Europe. The arrangement would ultimately lead to the emergence of the Iron Curtain and the Cold War dynamics that would dominate after World War II.