Transcript Soviet Foreign Policy 1921-1939

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
1.
2.
3.
At this meeting policies were designed for membership
in the Comintern, they included:
Communist parties had to be organized according to
Marxist-Leninist principals.
Parties had to prepare for civil war by spreading
propaganda and set up cells in trade unions.
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 Policy
1924 - 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 USSR
Valuable 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 left
and the fascist right nationalist army leaders. The conflict was seen
by the world as a battle between left and right. Italy and Germany
were supporting the nationalists and Britain and France were not
intervening.
What was the USSR policy in the Spanish civil war and what was
rational for the policy?
Reason to Intervene
-Ideology – USSR is the leader of
The international proletariat
-Popular Front
Reasons for Non
Intervention
-Spain is too far away
-USSR preoccupied with
domestic concerns (purges
and five year plans)
-Soviet Security – not wishing to leave
France surrounded by fascists
Help provided
By USSR
-Successful intervention
might end up with a
-Divisionary effect – directs international a communist Spain. This
attention away from the purges.
might create a anti-communist
alliance
-Eliminate Trotsky supporters in Spain
-Propaganda gains – USSR the only power
prepared to defend democracy against fascism
Impact of Spanish Civil War on USSR
-Military experience – give opportunity to soldiers
to have combat experience
Stalin’s Decision
Spain is not suitable for Communism – but the USSR needs to prevent
any weakening of France’s power or military
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.
They are democracies and see USSR as
enemy.
Hitler wanted to avoid a two front war
Hitler’s ultimate goal was the destruction of
the USSR.
British public in favor of alliance
with USSR
Britain and France repeatedly appeased
Hitler.
A non aggression pact with Germany
would scare off Britain and France from
helping Poland
Britain and France excluded USSR from
Munich.
Hitler had no problems with USSR
territorial expansion
An alliance with Britain and France might
not prevent war with Germany.
Avoid a two front war Germany and Japan.
Prevent more Japanese attacks on USSR
Britain and France were not prepared to
accept USSR territorial expansion.
Russia would gain half of Poland and the
Baltic states
Britain and France gave a guarantee to
Poland the most anti-eastern state.
Germany was a major trading partner
Britain might want the Nazi’s and the
Soviets to fight each other
Would continue the spirit of the
Treaty of Rapallo
Prevent war as there has just been a
purge of the military
Reversal of ideology
The Terms of the Nazi-Soviet Pact
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 past
any allied campaigns.
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 signed
the Nazi –Soviet Pact
Read the Historians on the Nazi –Soviet pact
Identify 3 significant things about the pact.
1.
2.
3.
The Nazi Soviet Pact
• “I must confess to the most profound
distrust of Russia. And I distrust her
motives, which seem to me to have little
connection with our ideas of liberty, and to
be concerned only with getting everyone
else by the ears….”
• “Moreover, she is both hated and
suspected by many of the smaller States,
notably by Poland, Romania and
Finland.”
– Neville 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
Communists. With
the USSR 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 Differences
• Fascism – embraces private property
• Communism – nationalizes (takes away)
private property
Hitler 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., the populations were split down
the middle.
Hitler/Stalin Population Effects
– In the 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
Soviets control of the Baltic States, blocked the
Soviets from entering a war against Germany,
and split Poland between the two countries.
Poland – 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”
• 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 Union 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, Stalin
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 Poland
• 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 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 fronts to
supply, occupy, and fight.
“They should have known …”
• The attack on the USSR 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.
U.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
U.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 enemy shall
be defeated. Victory will 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 NaziSoviet 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?