Anti-Comintern Pact

The Anti-Comintern Pact was concluded on November 25, 1936, at Berlin between Germany and Japan. On November 6 of the following year, Italy joined Germany and Japan in the pact. Ostensibly a defensive alliance against the perceived menace of the Soviet-controlled "Communistic International," or Comintern, the document was also the formal basis of the Tokyo- Berlin-Rome Axis, the World War II ideological and military alliance among Germany, Japan, and Italy. The Bolsheviks formed the Soviet Union in 1922 after the Russian civil war. Through the Communist International, or Comintern, the Soviet Union intended to operate as the center of world revolution, dedicated to the overthrow of capitalism everywhere. The Comintern created a high degree of instability throughout Europe, adding to the instability wrought by the politically and economically punitive Treaty of Versailles in Germany and its former World War I allies. In the 1930s, the Italian fascists and the German Nazis, as well as the Japanese militarists, sought to legitimate themselves, especially in the eyes of the Western democracies, by portraying themselves as united against Soviet expansion. The two Anti- Comintern Pacts defined, albeit vaguely, that unified front. The 1936 document is brief enough to reproduce its entire substantive text: The Imperial Government of Japan and the Government of Germany, In cognizance of the fact that the object of the Communistic International (the so-called Komintern) is the disintegration of, and the commission of violence against, existing States by the exercise of all means at its command; Believing that the toleration of interference by the Communistic International in the internal affairs of nations not only endangers their internal peace and social welfare, but threatens the general peace of the world; Desiring to cooperate for defence against communistic disintegration, have agreed as follows: Article i The High Contracting States agree that they will mutually keep each other informed concerning the activities of the Communistic International, will confer upon the necessary measures of defence, and will carry out such measures in close cooperation. Article ii The High Contracting States will jointly invite third States whose internal peace is menaced by the disintegrating work of the Communistic International, to adopt defensive measures in the spirit of the present Agreement or to participate in the present Agreement. Article iii The Japanese and German texts are each valid as the original text of this Agreement. The Agreement shall come into force on the day of its signature and shall remain in force for the term of five years. The High Contracting States will, in a reasonable time before the expiration of the said term, come to an understanding upon the further manner of their cooperation . . . 64 Anti-Comintern Pact Supplementary Protocol to the Agreement Guarding against the Communistic International on the occasion of the signature this day of the Agreement guarding against the Communistic International the undersigned plenipotentiaries have agreed as follows: (a) The competent authorities of both High Contracting States will closely cooperate in the exchange of reports on the activities of the Communistic International and on measures of information and defence against the Communistic International. (b) The competent authorities of both High Contracting States will, within the framework of the existing law, take stringent measures against those who at home or abroad work on direct or indirect duty of the Communistic International or assist its disintegrating activities. (c) To facilitate the cooperation of the competent authorities of the two High Contracting States as set out in (a) above, a standing committee shall be established. By this committee the further measures to be adopted in order to counter the disintegrating activities of the Communistic International shall be considered and conferred upon . . . In signing on to the pact, Italy joined Germany and Japan to oppose the expansion of Soviet communism, thereby creating the kernel of the Axis that would oppose the Allies during World War II. The substantive text of 1937 follows: The Italian Government; the Government of the German Reich, and the Imperial Government of Japan, Considering that the Communist International continues constantly to imperil the civilized world in the Occident and Orient, disturbing and destroying peace and order, Considering that only close collaboration looking to the maintenance of peace and order can limit and remove that peril, Considering that Italy—who with the advent of the Fascist regime has with inflexible determination combated that peril and rid her territory of the Communist International—has decided to align herself against the common enemy along with Germany and Japan, who for their part are animated by like determination to defend themselves against the Communist International, Have, in conformity with Article II of the Agreement against the Communist International concluded at Berlin on November 25, 1936, by Germany and Japan, agreed upon the following: Article 1 Italy becomes a party to the Agreement against the Communist International and to the Supplementary Protocol concluded on November 25, 1936, between Germany and Japan, the text of which is included in the Annex to the present Protocol. Article 2 The three Powers signatory to the present Protocol agree that Italy will be considered as an original signatory to the Agreement and Supplementary Protocol mentioned in the preceding Article, the signing of the present Protocol being equivalent to the signature of the original text of the aforesaid Agreement and Supplementary Protocol. Article 3 The present Protocol shall constitute an integral part of the above-mentioned Agreement and Supplementary Protocol. Article 4 The present Protocol is drawn up in Italian, Japanese, and German, each text being considered authentic. It shall enter into effect on the date of signature.