Soviet Foreign Policy
to 1939
Kevin J. Benoy
The 1920s
• Immediately following
the Bolshevik
Revolution and during
the Civil War, Lenin
counted on similar
uprisings elsewhere in
the world.
• They did not happen –
so Lenin had to come
up with a policy he had
not considered.
The 1920s
• While attempts to find
acceptance at the 1922
Genoa Conference
failed, there was
immediate success in
talks with the other
black sheep of Europe,
Germany, at Rapallo.
• A trade pact was signed
– along with a secret
military agreement.
The 1920s
• There was
further success
in talks with the
new
governments of
Musfafa Kemal
in Turkey and
Sun Yat Sen’s
China
1920s
• While diplomats sought
to peacefully break out
from capitalist
encirclement, the other
arm of Soviet Foreign
Policy – the Comintern
(Communist
International)
continued to press for
world-wide revolution.
The 1920s
• In Britain and China, the call
for revolution was played
down as United Front tactics
were adopted.
• Communists were urged to
cooperate with others – the
Labour Party in Britain and
the Kuomintang in China –
against hostile capitalist
elements.
• There was little success, and
by 1927, Stalin found the
slogan “socialism in one
country” indispensable
because his foreign policy
was in a shambles.
Comintern Policy Under Stalin
• Just as Stalin controlled
Soviet domestic policy, so
too did he control that of
the Comintern.
• He forced the organization
to adopt an
uncompromising position
against even social
democrats – which the
Comintern called “social
fascists.” They were vilified
even more than right
wingers.
Comintern Under Stalin
• In Germany the KPD (German
Communist Party) was directed to
join with the Nazis in attacking
the Weimar Republic.
• When, in 1933, the Social
Democrats made one last
attempt to woo KPD support
against Hitler, the KPD replied:
“the Nazi’s take power. Then in
four weeks the whole working
class will be united under the
leadership of the Communist
Party. They were fatally wrong.
The KPD were the first party
destroyed by the Nazis.
Soviet Foreign Policy Under Stalin
• Stalin and Lenin sought
to mobilize antiVersailles powers
against Britain and
France – so even Hitler
was regarded as a
potential ally.
• In 1934, after Hitler’s
destruction of the KPD,
a turn about took place.
Soviet Foreign Policy Under Stalin
• In 1934, the USSR joined
the League of Nations.
• Foreign Minister Maxim
Litvinov suggested World
disarmament.
• Stalin abandoned
isolationism and called for
collective security action
against the fascists and the
Japanese.
Soviet Foreign Policy Under Stalin
• The USA recognized the
USSR in 1934.
• Both countries agreed to
stop hostile propaganda
against the other.
• For the USA this was to stop
communist agitation in
Depression era America.
• The Soviets hoped to use
the USA to counter the
Japanese in the Far East.
Soviet Foreign Policy Under Stalin
• Even after Hitler
dropped the Rapallo
Agreement with the
USSR, trade with
Germany remained at
earlier levels, not
dropping until 1936.
Soviet imports
remained high to 1937.
• Military cooperation
continued to 1935.
German staff at Tomka chemical weapons
facility, USSR, 1928.
The Popular Front
• However, as early as 1933,
Litvinov began to distinguish
between capitalist governments
for the fist time.
• On February 6, 1934, the French
Communist Party was still
cooperating with the Far Right. 6
days later 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.
The Popular Front
• In May, 1935 a FrancoSoviet Pact was signed –
providing mutual
support if a 3rd party
attacked either.
• In the same month, a
Czechoslovak-Soviet
Pact was signed.
The Popular Front
• In July and August of
1935, the Comintern
also adopted the idea of
the Popular Front.
• They advocated
cooperation with any
group – rightist or leftist
– to oppose Fascist or
Japanese militarist
aggression.
The Popular Front
• Popular Front governments were elected in France, Spain and
Chile.
• However, cooperation between Socialists and Communists
remained shaky and non-communists in all of these countries
were deeply suspicious of the communists.
The Popular Front
• In France, the
government of Leon
Blum lasted only a year.
• French Conservatives
and rightists sometimes
used the slogan “Better
Hitler than Leon Blum.”
The Popular Front
• Worse still, in Spain,
their Popular Front
government faced
armed insurrection
from Franco’s right wing
alliance.
• Hitler’s Germany and
Mussolini’s Spain
provided arms and men
to the Nationalist
rebels.
The Popular Front
• The Spanish Civil War
presented Stalin with a
dilemma.
• Should it intervene
directly or abandon the
Popular Front
government?
• In 1936, it decided to
offer help to the
Spanish Government.
The Popular Front
• With the Fascists offering
assistance, while the British
and French insisted on nonintervention, the struggle
favoured the Nationalists.
• To make matters worse,
Communists and Socialists
struggled with each other
within the Republican
government.
The Popular Front
• In November, 1938
Stalin decided to cut his
losses.
• Aid ceased.
• The International
Brigades (foreigners
who signed up to fight
against the fascists)
were withdrawn.
The Popular Front
• Though Spain was lost, the
Soviets did score
propaganda success
through its involvement.
• Anti-fascists everywhere
noted that the USSR was
the only government that
was prepared to help the
republicans
• Communist support was
never stronger in the West
than during this time.
Appeasement
• Stalin tried to get
Western support
against the Fascists,
but with little
success.
• During the 1938
Sudeten crisis, Stalin
offered to back up
the Czechoslovakian
government against
a threatened
German attack.
Appeasement
• Britain and France agreed to
discuss the future of
Czechoslovakia with
Germany and Italy in
September, 1938.
• Neither the Czechs nor the
Soviets were invited.
• Stalin drew the conclusion
that the West could not be
relied upon to resist Hitler.
Appeasement
• When Hitler tore up his
1938 agreement and
occupied the remainder
of the Czech portion of
Czechoslovakia in the
Spring of 1939, Stalin
again noted Western
inaction.
Appeasement Ends
Allied Military Mission to Moscow, 1939
• After March, 1939, British
attitudes shifted.
• Britain and France opened
up talks with the Soviets,
hoping to form an alliance
against Hitler.
• There was little the West
could offer Stalin except
that the Soviets would do
most of the fighting and
that they would not be
rewarded with any territory
for doing so.
The Nazi-Soviet Pact
• Hitler had far
more to offer.
• The Germans
would divide
Eastern Europe
between them,
and there would
be no need to
fight.
Nazi-Soviet Pact
• Hitler now had a
free hand in
Europe.
• Stalin thought that
the capitalists
would now fight a
long, drawn-out
struggle, while the
USSR built its
strength while
staying out of the
conflict.
The Nazi-Soviet Pact
• Stalin could not have been
more wrong.
• He was convinced Hitler
would not attack him for
years.
• When Hitler did strike, Stalin
was unready. The Soviets
had abandoned their old prewar defense works for new
forward positions in
readiness for new offensive
plans.
• Soviet forces were caught
completely unprepared.
finis