Soviet Foreign Policy to 1939

Ms LeslieHistory 12

1920’s

• Tried to get better trade relations in the 1922 Genoa Conference – failed

• Rapallo – Germany and USSR make a trade pact. With secret military provisions.

• Also successful in making agreements with Turkey and China

• Comintern – press for worldwide revolutions

Comintern Policy

• United Front Tactics – co-operate with local communists to over throw capitalism

• 1922 – ‘socialism in one country’• Socialists = ‘Social fascists’ and now the enemy

as they don’t want a full fledged revolution• Help the German KPD who were sided with

Hitler – thought Hitler would bring a communist revolution because the public would revolt against him.

Soviet Foreign Policy

• In 1934 a turn around began in Soviet Policy. • Russia joined the League of Nations and

Foreign Minister Maxim Litvinov suggested World Disarmament.

• Stalin clearly abandons isolationism. • During the 1930’s the USSR called for

collective security action against the Fascist and the Japanese.

• U.S. recognition was also granted in 1934• The USSR hoped to involve the US as a

counter to Japan

The Popular Front in France

• 1934 the French Communist Party was still co-operating with the Far Right, as they had done in Germany earlier.

• they turned completely around and began working with the Socialist trade unions against the Far Right.

• In November, the formation of a Popular Front Government with the Socialists was proposed.

• May 1935, a Franco-Soviet Pact was signed, providing for mutual support if a 3rd party attacked either.

• the same month a Czechoslovak-Soviet Pact was also signed

• 1935, the Comintern also adopted the idea of the Popular Front, a Willingness to co-operate with any group, Rightist or Leftist, which resisted the Fascists of the Japanese Militarists.

• Successes occurred with Popular Front governments elected in France, Spain and Chile

• 1936 sent help to Spain• Republican Spain was increasingly split by a

Communist-Socialist internal struggle, at the same time as the Fascists where expanding their Control.

• In November 1938 Stalin decided to cut his losses.

• Aid ceased and the International Brigade was withdrawn.

• the Soviet Union did gain propaganda success • Anti-Fascists everywhere noted Soviet

involvement and the non-involvement of other nations in defending the legitimately elected legal government of Spain.

The Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact

• In 1938, the USSR pledged to support Czechoslovakia against German aggression, Only if France promises to do the same.

• Czechoslovakia decided not to accept USSR help – Germany promptly takes land

• USSR sees that you can’t work with the West so they go to the Nazis

• On August 23, 1939 a Non Aggression Pact was signed.

• Increased trade• Neither side would attack the other• USSR to get Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Eastern

Poland• Germany to get everything West of the above.