★ Foreign Relations Flashcards
★ What was Stalin’s attitudes to foreign relations?
★ His main aim was to keep Russia safe while maintaining his policy of Socialism in One Country, wasn’t bothered with the Comintern until the 1930s
★ Policy was quite inconsistent, switching between offensive and protectionist
★ What was Stalin’s policy towards China?
★ Chinese Communist Party vs GMD
★ ^ Stalin preferred to back the fascist GMD party as he believed it would bring stability to China, gave them financial and military aid
★ Tried to get the GMD and CCP to join together
★ March 1926 the GMD massacred striking workers in Canton and established a military dictatorship
★ April 1927, GMD viciously suppressed a communist-led workers’ revolt in Shanghai and thousands of workers were killed
★ 1927, GMD massacred striking workers in the city of Wuhan; c30,000 workers were killed by the GMD in 1927
★ What was Stalin’s policy towards Germany?
★ Treaty of Berlin 1926: 4-Year treaty based around neutrality, if either country was attacked the other would remain neutral, not joining in on economic sanctions
★ However, as the rise in Fascism continued over Europe, Stalin became more wary of Germany (now Nazi Germany in the 1930s) and created the Nazi-Soviet Pact 1939, had a secret term that agreed to split Poland between the two countries
★ Anti-Comintern Pact, Germany and Japan vs USSR in 1936
★ When did the USSR join the League of Nations?
★ 1934, wanted Collective Security
★ What changes did Stalin make to the Comintern?
★ Between 1924 and 1929, Comintern low priority as he was more focussed on Socialism in One Country
★ However in 1928, Stalin called for an ‘ all-out attack on anti-communist social democratic parties in Europe ‘ coined Social Fascists
★ Placed supporters in key positions in Comintern
★ Could be due to his only real opponent now being Bukharin
