>the Soviets made the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact to start another war between France and Germany
>the Soviets wouldn't've even joined the war, except Germany was going to lose to Poland (ending the war without weakening the Western powers)
>Operation Barbarossa was a pre-emptive strike; Hitler never had a choice to avoid war with the Soviet Union, only whether to attack or to be attacked
>the Soviets lost a shitload of personnel and materiel to Barbarossa because they had an offensive force on the border, waiting to blitz all of Europe

This is all complex excuses for the Soviet Union's incompetence and Hitler's insanity. Russians always embellish Russia's blunders, especially FSB Officers.

>the Soviets made the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact to start another war between France and Germany
>the Soviets wouldn't've even joined the war, except Germany was going to lose to Poland (ending the war without weakening the Western powers)

The Soviet signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact because it was massively advantageous for them. Free territory and an alliance with their powerful neighbor, after getting a bloody nose by Finland. They were happy to get half of Poland without having to do anything. Mototov-Ribbentrop was Germany giving the Soviets free land of value to them. Why would they say no?

>Operation Barbarossa was a pre-emptive strike; Hitler never had a choice to avoid war with the Soviet Union, only whether to attack or to be attacked

Was Operation Barbarossa a pre-emptive strike? Not really. Hitler hated the Soviet Union. He spend his young adult years fighting with communists in the streets. He passionately hated communism, as much as he hated the Jews. The Ultimate Goal of Barbarossa was the destruction of the Soviet Union, Communism, and Russia. Hitler didn't hate France. France was Austria's archrival, but Hitler respected France. Hitler respected Great Britain. Hitler did not respect Russia or the Soviet Union at all.

Hitler thought, after crushing France, he could easily steamroll the USSR, genocide the Russia people, salt the earth, destroy communism, and open up land for Germans.