Foreign policy under Stalin Flashcards
How were relations previously good with Germany?
- Through the treaties of Berlin and Rapallo which led to military collaboration from 1929-1932 through technical expertise for the modernisation an armament production to acquire modern weapons in Russia
- The Berlin treaty continued in 1931 but relations became strained due to the growth of the Nazi party encouraging Stalin to promote collective security with Western democracies but still kept relations open for future collaboration
- This obsession for security leading to unpredictable tactics became known as the Stalin doctrine (Nekrich)
How did military production grow for both countries?
- Junker aircraft factory
- A training school for pilots in Lipetska
- A facility for practicing tank warfare in Kazan
-A secret join facility in Samara to develop poison gas weapons
What happened in the 1928 comintern congress?
Stalin called democratic socialist movements as social fascists meaning that the German communist party should never cooperate with the SPD
How did relations improve with America?
- In 1933, relations were established to move away from diplomatic isolation as the US embassy opened to replace the Riga watchers
- Relations improved due to Litvinov who had credibility amongst western diplomats and encouraged discussions to join the league of nations as they were both worried about the rise of Japan after they invaded Manchuria in 1931
- In November 1933, Litvinov visited to Washington to finalise the opening of relations
Who left the league of nations in 1933?
Japan and Germany
When did the USSR join the league of nations?
September 1934 due to the international situation
What happened to the comintern?
The hard-line policy was replaced by popular fronts where Stalin was willing to cooperate with democratic socialists to fight fascism. It was announced i pravda in 1934 and became official policy in 1935. However, his relationship with Germany saw little change by continuing military and naval cooperation
What did he do with Poland?
He made a non-aggression pact in 1932 and this was extended for 10 years in 1934
What did he do with France?
- He signed a non-aggression pact in 1932 that provided a basis for the Franco-soviet pact, negotiated in December 1934 and signed in may 1935
- France was willing since in March 1935, Hitler announced publicly rearmament
- However this made the pact shallow as there were clauses for military cooperation and circumstances which it may be activated which forced Stalin to put pressure on the French communist party
What did he do with Czechoslovakia?
The Franco-soviet pact led to similar one with them which allowed for military intervention in Czechoslovakia if France did. Czechoslovakia also made a pact with France and Britain
Who visited in 1935?
British foreign secretary, Anthony Eden
What happened in March 1936?
Germany invaded the Rhineland deliberately breaking the treaty of Versailles. France however gave a passive response weakening his faith in future relations and creating s set back for collective security
What happened in July 1936?
Right-wing officers led by Francisco Franco launched a nationalist rebellion against the Spanish republic
What was Western response to the Spanish civil war?
In August 1936, France proposed a general agreement for non-intervention due to fears it would become internationalised. Stalin did initially accept it but later perceived it as French and British weakness in combatting fascism so Stalin intervened in September by sending hundreds of Soviet advisors backed by troops, tanks and aircraft who were not dependent on the republican government in Madrid
What happened in November 1936?
Soviet forces prevented the seizure of Madrid during the battle of Madrid
How did Russia ideologically challenge the civil war?
Soviet propaganda encouraged an anti-fascist crusade through posters and cinema reels and a mass rally in Leningrad in 1937
What shifted with Spain in 1937?
His policy changed as the number of troops were reduced to wear down Italian and German forces to prolong the war. Soviet priorities shifted to internal feuds with leftist elements such as the Trotskyite POUM party opposed to the domination of Soviet communism for internal security. Many of the Soviet personnel who served in Spain were repressed when they returned home
What was Western response to Soviet intervention in the Spanish civil war?
They did little with preventing the victory of the Francoists so Stalin became disillusioned with them because whilst liberals admired the willingness of intervention, the government felt fear towards communism and were wary about future collaboration
How was Germany more threatening by 1938?
- Intelligence reports from Germany in November 1937 said generals were preparing for a war of aggression with Czechoslovakia and Poland
- Threats also grew liming the effectiveness of Western security because in 1937, Japan invaded China due to French and British appeasement policies
- In March 1938, Austria was invaded and Anschluss was imposed so it became part of Germany and France and Britain took no action
What happened in the summer of 1938?
The German-speaking Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia became part of Germany which the Franco-Soviet pact was supposedly to prevent
What was the Munich conference on the 30th of September 1938?
- Even though France was concerned, Neville Chamberlain dominated policies as he was anti-communist and y negotiating with Hitler, it would save peace
- Despite the absence of Czechoslovakia, Britain, France, Italy and Germany decided its fate
- Despite the Franco-soviet pact, Russia wasn’t invited therefore the pact with Czechoslovakia wasn’t activated as it depended on the French taking action which they didn’t
- This meant chances of an Anti-Hitler alliance were reduced
What was the Anti-comintern pact?
It was signed with Germany and Japan in November 1936 and Italy joined in November 1937 to form the axis
What were the causes of the war with Japan?
- It had bulit a military dictatorship after occupying Manchuria in 1931 and China in 1937
- It posed a larger threat than Nazism until the anti-comintern pact
- Military forces were established on the Manchurian frontier with many confrontations in the summer of 1938
What were the actions of the war with Japan?
- Tensions increased from May - September 1939 with over 100,000 troops and 1000 tanks and aircraft
- In August 1939, Japan ere encircled and defeated with 75% of troops killed at Khalkin Gol in Soviet Mongolia led by General Georgy Zhukov
