What was the outcome of the 1939 agreement between Germany and the Soviet Union?

The 1939 agreement between Germany and the Soviet Union, known as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, established a non-aggression clause between the two nations, indicating they would not attack each other. Additionally, the agreement included a secret protocol that outlined the division of Eastern Europe, particularly Poland, into spheres of influence between the two countries. This pact allowed for Germany to invade Poland from the west on September 1, 1939, while the Soviet Union invaded from the east on September 17 of the same year. This partnership, though ideologically opposed, enabled both nations to expand their territories and avoid conflict with one another in the initial stages of World War II.