WWW.EXPLAININGHISTORY.

COM STALINS FOREIGN POLICY

Objectives

Collective Security: working with other states to stop fascist expansion: a) Russia joined the League of Nations (1934); b) The Comintern1 turned as well toward a policy aimed at controlling the spread of fascism supporting governments pro-Soviet foreign policy and pursuing an anti German policy. c) Spanish Civil War: Russia intervened, keeping with the current policy of collective security, supporting the Republican Spanish government, while Britain and Germany didnt intervene and Germany allied with Italy as supporters of the Nationalists. Revolutionary communist ideas (world socialist revolution) had to be spread as during the Civil War; this produced mistrust from the outside (difficult relations with France and Britain); Economic backwardness: Russia needed western technological help to build its industries; The internal situation: five year plan, collectivisation lad Russia needing economical support e.g. Germany provided loans in long terms. The international situation: rise of Germany helped by the non-action policy adopted by Britain and France. Characters Stalin, Lenin, and Trotsky strongly imposed or influenced their decisions; however is important to look at three major Commissars that lad the Foreign Affairs within this period that favoured or implemented: G.V.Chicherin (1872-1936) - Favoured close relations with Germany and helped to set the treaty of Rapallo; - Anti British; - Supported the system of capitalist international relations and a policy of peaceful coexistence. M.M. Litvinov (1876-1951) - Preventing war was in interest of Russia, favouring disarmament - Suspicious of German, hence pro British. - Collective security against fascism; V.M. Molotov (1890-1986) -Pro German relations; - Set up the Nazi Soviet pact of 39 with Ribbentrop, How those factors deal within the international context..

GERMANY
1922, Rapallo Treaty a) Diplomatic relations: both, Germany and USSR were ceased to be outcasts; b) Renunciation of financial claims and economic cooperation: Germany made significant long-term loans to USSR, 47% of imports were German; c) Military cooperation: German officers trained Red Army. 1921-23, in Germany the KDP (the communist party) was instructed, by the Comintern1, to attack the social democrats, as social fascists. This divided the left just at the time when he Nazis and fascism were beginning to grow stronger. Foreign communist party leaders suspected to not be obedient to Moscow are substituted. The treaty of Locarno (1925) between France, Britain and Germany worried Russia. Thus, 1926, Treaty of Berlin a) Reaffirmed the terms of the treaty of Rapallo and it was to remain for 5 years; b) The USSR and Germany pledged neutrally if either were attacked by another power. 1934 Trade agreement with Germany 1939, 23 August, Nazi Soviet Pact, non-aggression pact, that included a secret protocol dividing Eastern Europe into spheres of influence. a) Soviet security; b) avoid a war in two fronts; c) taking time to implement the rearmament programme, c) gain of half of Poland (September 28), d) reaffirm treaty of Rapallo/Berlin; e) keeping of those good relationships within Germany and USSR between 1922 to 1934; f) Germany was a valid treading partner.

BRITAIN
1921 Anglo-Soviet Trade Agreement 1923 Curzons ultimatum, Curzon, Britain Foreign Secretary decided to stop Soviet agents in Persia, Afghanistan and India, worrying Russia to cancel the trade agreement of 21 unless the Soviets abandoned the activities; Soviets agreed. 1927 the diplomatic relations between Britain and USSR are suspended because the Soviet attitude during the General strike (1926) in Britain was seen by the kingdom as subversive. ANGLO-FRENCH POLICY a) April 39 Litnov proposes a triple military alliance between France, Britain and France, on which those countries dragged their feet on. b) August 1939, Soviet Anglo French talks in Moscow in order to set up the Polish affairs; in spite of several military talks the Anglo- Soviet negotiations broke down on August 19th. c) Russia was excluded by the Munich Conference (September 1938) in spite of USSR pact to join France in defence of Czechoslovakia (May 1935: USSR signed a mutual assistance pacts with Czechoslovakia and France).

DISCUSSION OF HISTORIANS:
Soviet interpretation: collective security was definitely an act against Nazi aggression; while the Nazi-Soviet pact had been necessary for Russia in order to face the threat of Germany on one side while Japan on the other, and the Wests betrayal of collective security. German school: Russia preferred cooperation with Germany (proved by the fact the Germany repeatedly rejected Soviet moves for closer cooperation), it struggled for the reconstruction of the Rapallo relations. The historian Tucker thought the Stalin had the ambitious policy to lead to a mutually destructive war in order to expand territorially all along its borders; according to Tucker the collective security policy was Stalins designs and a bite to attract Hitler, while the purges was necessary to remove opposition to a deal with Hitler. The collective security school: the collective security was used by USSR to make a common cause with the other states in opposition to Hitlers expansionist foreign policy. Supporters of this theory are Geoffrey Roberts and Teddy Uldricks. Revisionist: A.J.P. Taylor believed took advantage of opportunities as they arised. He argued that Soviet Foreign policy advocated collective security but USSR didnt want to be manoeuvred into resisting Germany alone.