Soviet Foreign Policy 1921-1939

Orthodox Marxism argues that revolution in the advanced industrial states of Europe was essential for success of the revolution. With the Bolshevik win in the civil war, the failure of the red army in Poland, and the demise of revolutions in German and Hungary the USSR had deal with being the only communist nation in the world.

The Challenge of the Bolshevik government and its foreign policy was now:

1. How to undermine capitalist governments?2. How to achieved working relations with the capitalist governments?

Key Considerations for Soviet foreign policy 1921-1939

Ideology – USSR desire to spread revolution to the west. This did not end diplomacy, but did provide the basis for mistrust.

Security – USSR lacked natural boundaries and it was the only communist state. Russia in the last 800 years had been invaded by virtually everybody.

Economic – USSR was technologically inferior and needed western help.

Key Policy Makers – Different leaders and Commissars for foreign affairs changed policy

Other Countries – The civil war left suspicion of the west, and the rise of Hitler and the failure of the British and French to contain him made USSR uneasy.

Internal Situation – 5 year plans, collectivisation and power struggle to succeed Lenin all influenced foreign policy.

Foreign Policy under Lenin In the new government Trotsky was made Commissar for Foreign Affairs.

Lenin really had control over Trotsky in foreign affairs, this is seen by his insisting on signing the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.

In 1919 Lenin called for an international congress of revolutionary socialists. At a meeting in March the Comintern (the Communist International) was formed.

The first Comintern called for workers across the world to support the regime by any meanings including revolution. It was believed by many western countries that the Bolsheviks had sent agents to the countries in order to promote revolution.

Attempts at Revolution in Germany and Hungary both failed

The Second Comintern

At this meeting policies were designed for membership in the Comintern, they included:

1. Communist parties had to be organized according to Marxist-Leninist principals.

2. Parties had to prepare for civil war by spreading propaganda and set up cells in trade unions.

3. Party programs had to be approved by the Comintern

Impact of the Polices

1. Reduced the appeal of the Communist Party in other countries

2. Threatened USSR relations with European countries

Relations with Britain

Anglo-Soviet trade agreement marked the first positive contact with USSR

Relations soured in 1926 when the USSR provided financial support to the Trade Union Congress and their leadership during a general strike in Britain.

In 1927 the British police did a full-scale raid on the

premises of the Russian trade mission in London to deal with the centre of a Soviet spy ring. This lead to a breaking of relations between the two countries.

Relations with Germany USSR and Germany are seen as natural allies in the 1920’s because they were both

outcasts. The Treaty of Rapallo 1922 allowed significant economic and military collaboration.

This allowed USSR to get financial and technical help from Germany, and allowed Germany to experiment with weapons forbidden under Versailles.

At the same time the Comintern was spending massive amount of money to prepare

Germany for revolution. The Treaty of Locarno 1925 reintegrated Germany with France and Britain, and in

1926 joined the league of nations.

In 1926, Germany and USSR reaffirmed the Treaty of Rapallo for another 5 years.

The ties between Germany and USSR were strong militarily and economically but not politically.

Stalin and Soviet Foreign Policy1924 - 1932

Stalin was seen as internationally minded, for example, “Socialism In One Country”. However, new documents released from his personal letters may indicate otherwise.

He did not want to risk socialist transformation in USSR

for revolution else where. This brought Stalin into conflict with the Trotsky followers

who believed in “Permanent Revolution”. Trotsky believed that under Stalin foreign communists changed from “vanguards of world revolution” to “frontier guards” of Soviet Russia.

The Comintern Under Stalin

As Stalin made his “left turn” in 1928 so did the policies of the Comintern.

Foreign Communist parties were instructed to

denounce democratic parties as “Social Fascists” because they co-operated with bourgeois parties and governments.

This had a big impact in places like Germany

which divided the left wing parties contributing to the rise of the Nazi’s.

Impact of Soviet Foreign Policy 1921-1932

USSR is now regarded as a European power once more

Foreign governments began to do business with the USSRValuable military and industrial gain were made

1933 U.S. gave the USSR official recognition.

Commissar For Foreign Affairs

G.V. Chicherin April 1918-1930

Policies- Favored close relations with Germany- Anti-British- Believed socialism was secure also long

as the capitalist powers were disunited. To do this the USSR must be involved in international relations.

M.M. Litinov July 1930-MAY 1939

Ex-Menshevik with a Jewish background

Policies

-Believed that preventing war was in USSR interest (favored disarmament and signing of the Kellog Pact to outlaw war).

-Pro British and anti – German

-Favored collective secruity

V.M. Molotov May 1939 – March 1949

A Bolshevik from his youth who had no direct experience with the world outside Russia. He was Stalin’s deputy.

Trotsky hated him and so did his colleagues

Policies - Favored improved relations with

Germany – See Nazi-Soviet Pact

The Rise of Hitler

- With the rise of Hitler in Germany relations between the USSR were strained.

- Hitler attacked German communists, signed a non-aggression pact with Poland and refused to sign a mutual guarantee of frontiers with the USSR.

- How was Stalin to handle this new Germany?

Collective Security Against Fascism

Collective security meant working with other states to stop fascist expansion.

- In 1934, the USSR became a member of the League of Nations. Litivinov was active in the league and hoped it could be an effective body. Litvinov wanted the league to denounce appeasement and stop German aggression.

- 1935 Soviet Union signs mutual assistance pacts with France and Czechoslovakia. Neither of these treaties were backed by military talks.

- 1935 the Comintern attacking of Western social democratic parties as “socialist fascists” was overturned. The USSR wanted to support governments

- Litiviov who was virtually in charge of foreign policy had no real illusions about the USSR’s role in the League or its treaties

“One should no place any serious hopes on pact in the sense if real military

aid in the event of war. Our security will still remain exclusively in the hands of the red army”

Collective Security to the Nazi-Soviet Pact

Read pages 256-268 in the text book

What was the Spanish civil war about?

In 1936 a civil war broke out in Spain between the Republican leftand the fascist right nationalist army leaders. The conflict was seenby the world as a battle between left and right. Italy and Germanywere supporting the nationalists and Britain and France were notintervening.

What was the USSR policy in the Spanish civil war and what was rational for the policy?

Reason to Intervene Reasons for NonIntervention

-Ideology – USSR is the leader of -Spain is too far awayThe international proletariat -USSR preoccupied with-Popular Front domestic concerns (purges and five year plans) -Soviet Security – not wishing to leaveFrance surrounded by fascists -Successful intervention might end up with a -Divisionary effect – directs international a communist Spain. Thisattention away from the purges. might create a anti-communist alliance-Eliminate Trotsky supporters in Spain

-Propaganda gains – USSR the only powerprepared to defend democracy against fascism

-Military experience – give opportunity to soldiersto have combat experience

Stalin’s DecisionSpain is not suitable for Communism – but the USSR needs to preventany weakening of France’s power or military

Help provided By USSR

Impact of Spanish Civil War on USSR

The Nazi – Soviet Pact

Using the text and sources 16.4 and 16.7 what impact did the Munich conference have on Stalin?

The Soviet Union was not invited to the Munich conference despite of its pact to join France in the defense of Czechoslovakia. Britain and France’s concessions to Hitler might have made Stalin wonder if whether they would ever stand up to Hitler.

16.4 – Stalin not invited to the Munich conference.

16.7 – Was the Munich conference driving Hitler to war with Stalin

Complete a P.M.I from the perspective of the U.S.S.R on an agreement between Britain and France or Germany.

Plus of British and

French agreement

Minus of British and

French agreement

Plus of German

agreement

Minus of German

agreement

Form a block against Hitler and create a two front war.

British public in favor of alliance with USSR

They are democracies and see USSR as enemy.

Britain and France repeatedly appeased Hitler.

Britain and France excluded USSR from Munich.

An alliance with Britain and France might not prevent war with Germany.

Britain and France were not prepared to accept USSR territorial expansion.

Britain and France gave a guarantee to Poland the most anti-eastern state.

Britain might want the Nazi’s and the Soviets to fight each other

Hitler wanted to avoid a two front war

A non aggression pact with Germany would scare off Britain and France from helping Poland

Hitler had no problems with USSR territorial expansion

Avoid a two front war Germany and Japan. Prevent more Japanese attacks on USSR

Russia would gain half of Poland and the Baltic states

Germany was a major trading partner

Would continue the spirit of the

Treaty of Rapallo

Prevent war as there has just been a purge of the military

Hitler’s ultimate goal was the destruction of the USSR.

Reversal of ideology

The Terms of the Nazi-Soviet Pact

Which school of thought on Soviet foreign policy is the most accurate?Soviet interpretation---------------------------------German School ---------------------------------”collective security” school

What is your rational for the most accurate school of thought?

Why do you think the U.S,S,R signedthe Nazi –Soviet Pact

Read the Historians on the Nazi –Soviet pact

Identify 3 significant things about the pact.

1.

2.

3.

What are the key provisions of the Nazi-Soviet Pact?

-Countries refrain from aggression and to observe neutrality in conflicts involving third parties.-A secret protocol which defined future spheres of influence with parts of Poland,Estonia, Latvia and Bessarabia (part of Romania) passing to the USSR

A new Treaty was agree on September 28- Gives Germany more of Poland-Lithuania transferred to USSR-Economic concessions given to Germany - which allows Hitler to get pastany allied campaigns.

The NaziNazi Soviet Pact

• ““I must confess to the most profound I must confess to the most profound distrust of Russia. And I distrust her distrust of Russia. And I distrust her motives, which seem to me to have motives, which seem to me to have little connection with our ideas of little connection with our ideas of liberty, and to be concerned only with liberty, and to be concerned only with getting everyone else by the ears….”getting everyone else by the ears….”

• ““Moreover, she is both Moreover, she is both hatedhated and and suspectedsuspected by many of the smaller by many of the smaller States, notably by States, notably by PolandPoland, , RomaniaRomania and and FinlandFinland.”.”

– Neville ChamberlainNeville Chamberlain

Summary of Articles• Communication between both governments was key so as to

address problems reflecting on their country’s common interests.

• Non-aggression was the main component, assuring that neither side would attack the other and any violence was strictly forbidden.

Summary of Articles Cont’d• The treaty would last

for ten years, after that it would continue for five more years if neither party expressed disinterest in the relationship.

• Any conflicts between parties would not be settled through violence, but rather through exchanging opinions or arbitration commissions.

Not an Alliance• The treaty or pact

was definitely not an alliance. The two powers did not agree to international efforts.

• The economic agreement of August 13, 1939 named USSR to provide Germany with food and raw materials.

• Germany would supply the U.S.S.R. with finished products.

A Shock to the World• The Nazi's were

known for hating CommunistsCommunists. With the USSRUSSR a Communist body, the world was shocked that these two governments would sign any sort of agreement, much less a non-aggression one.

Two Terms that Don’t Mix

•Ideological Ideological DifferencesDifferences

•Fascism – embraces private property

•CommunismCommunism – nationalizes (takes away) private property

HitlerHitler and Stalin

• Hitler and Stalin were seeking power by abusing the citizens of their countries, aspiring to world domination.

• In both Hitler’s Germany and Stalin’s U.S.S.R.,Stalin’s U.S.S.R., the populations were split down the middledle.

HitlerHitler/Stalin Population Effects

– In the U.S.S.R. “Stalinism”U.S.S.R. “Stalinism” made the people paranoid about not helping the Soviet cause. The “Great Purge” led to the deaths of millions of Soviets.

– In Germany, Hitler created massive rifts between races leading to the deaths of millions of Jews.

Secret Perks of the Agreement

• The secret protocol of the agreement gave the SovietsSoviets control of the Baltic

States, blocked the SovietsSoviets from entering a war against Germany, and split Poland

between the two countries.

PolPoland – Result of Pact on Target Nations

• About a week after the signing of the pact, German forces entered Poland.

• Throughout September of 1939, Poland was subject to occupation in the west from German forces and from the east by Soviet forces.

• The British and French honored their ally system by declaring war on Germany.

““Bloodthirsty”Bloodthirsty”

• The Polish were forced into labor camps and their military officers were brutally murdered.

• The goal of German/Soviet occupation was to enslave the Polish and erase their sense of nationalism and identity.

• “A great myth developed that only the fascist enemy was capable of genocide, of mass crime. If the crimes of the Soviet Soviet UnionUnion were to be put into the same category as those of the Nazis, the whole moral story of why we fought the Second World War would have been ruined. We now know that during the war, StalinStalin actually killed more of his own people than Hitler killed during the Holocaust.”

» Norman Davies

• At the Katyn forests in 1043, nearly 4,000 Polish military officers were discovered in a mass grave; a massacre which was recently claimed in responsibility in 1991 by the Soviets.

The Big Picture of PolPoland

• The concentration camps killed Jews on Polish soil at infamous camps such as Auschwitz, Majdanek, and Treblinka.

• Almost all of the 3 million Jews living in Poland were annihilated by the ruthless Germans and Soviets.

An Attack on Finland, Gone Bad

• On November 30th, 1939 the USSR attacked Finland, expecting an easy victory. However Finland was able to hold them off and retain its independence. This scuttle was known as the Winter War.

The End of the Pact

• The pact between the two countries was severed as a result of Hitler invading the U.S.S.R. on June 22nd, 1941.

Failure of the pact

• The Germans were avoiding avoiding fighting a two front war.fighting a two front war.

• The attack on the Soviets may have helped to win the war for the allies, as the Germans then had two frontstwo fronts to to supply, occupy, and fightsupply, occupy, and fight..

“They should have known …”

• The attack on the USSRUSSR shocked few people. It was assumed that this pact would last only long enough to give Germany the advantage of not having to fight on two fronts.

USSR Enters WWII

• Following the German invasion of the USSR, the Soviets were involved in WWII, as well as defeating the German powers.

UU.S. Involvement

• The U.S. soon became involved in the war. If the U.S. was involved in the war prior to June 22nd, 1941, many people believe that Germany would not have attacked Russia.

http://www.hfcsd.org/ww2

UU.S. and U.S.S.R.• The combination of the

United States and the USSR joining allied efforts in a matter of months apart, morale among British and French troops skyrocketed, and the Soviets fought as if there had been no negotiations between their government and Germany at all.

“ “Ours is a righteous cause. The Ours is a righteous cause. The enemy shall be defeated. Victory will enemy shall be defeated. Victory will be ours.”be ours.”

• Vyacheslav Molotov - June 22, 1941 – (Foreign minister of the USSR during time of

signing of pact as well as time of attack.)

Evaluation• What were the provisions of the Nazi-

Soviet Pact?• Was it a treaty of alliance? If not, what

was its purpose?• Why was the world shocked when it was

announced? What were the ideological differences between Hitler and Stalin?

• What effect would the pact have on the nations who were targeted?

• When and how would the Pact be broken?