The Munich Understanding

The Munich Understanding is a secret treaty between the German Reich, Soviet Union, and Hungary that was signed in 2055. Among its articles included plans to invade numerous countries in Central and Eastern Europe and divide them up among the signatories. It is not a formal alliance or defense pact as such, but a commitment to go to war in parallel and respect agreed upon territorial claims.

The treaty was negotiated in secret and signed during an ongoing conference between the Soviet Union, Germany, and Hungary on trade and agricultural investment. The short-term catalyst for the Munich Understanding's signing was France and Belgium jointly announcing in 2054 that they would send a brigade of troops to Poland as a deterrence measure. This turned into a regular rotational forward deployment. However, tensions had been building in Central and Eastern Europe for decades, as the German political landscape had become increasingly nationalistic and revanchist since the 1980s. It found itself in a similar situation to the Soviet Union, whose relations with the Western Union members (United Kingdom, France, Belgium) were also deteriorating. The Intermarium—a defense alliance between Poland, Czechoslovakia, Romania and Yugoslavia—was originally formed in 1948 as a result of the Soviet annexation of the Baltic states.

Notably The Munich Understanding is not actually known to most of the German government. Only high ranking members of the German Conservative People's Party (KVP) party-room and loyalist generals within the Reichswehr are aware of its existence. Shortly after the signing of the pact, the KVP lost its majority in the Reichstag and was in opposition from 2056 to 2060, after which it returned to government. It was understood by the Soviet Union, Hungary and KVP leadership that if the KVP was out of government or its party leaders were ousted that the understanding would no longer be in effect. Because of the period of time where the KVP was out of power, there have been significant delays in the execution of the plan that was originally intended to be implemented in 2058.