Foreign Relations

Question 1

What is the Comintern?

Answer 1

March 1919: The Comintern was established to promote revolution. To create Communist parties abroad loyal to Moscow to overthrow governments and spread the revolution. Zinoviev was the Head of Comintern

Question 2

Poland: Russo-Polish War

Answer 2

1920: the Red Army invaded Poland, wanted communism in Poland.
Poland wanted independence and resisted pushing the Red Army back. Red Army launched a counter offensive pushed Poles back, went too far from supply lines. Polish counter-counter-offensive.
March 1921: Treaty of Riga. Peace
Lenin questioned whether spreading revolution would be feasible due to this failure.

Question 3

Germany: Treaty of Rapollo

Answer 3

1922: Soviet Union and German agreement.
Struggling Germany (ToV) and isolated USSR (Western nations feared communism) agreed to help each other.
1)Agreed to help each other meet the economic needs of both countries.
2)Russia provided Germany’s military training grounds and resources(they could bypass ToV restrictions)
3)Russia would be allowed special trading rights in Germany.
1926: Developed into Treaty of Berlin, which contained a non aggression pact

Question 4

England

Answer 4

Anglo-Soviet Trade Agreement in March 1921: enabled greater trade between the two countries.
Both sides tolerated each other
Agreed no propaganda against each other

Question 5

England: Zinoviev Letter

Answer 5

25th October 1924: Letter published just before the election allegedly written by Zinoviev demonstrating Soviet Union influence on the Labour Party.
Conservatives won the election partly due to this, led to hostile Anglo-Soviet relations.

Question 6

France

Answer 6

Wanted alliance with Russia for help in defence against Germany in case of war and to disincentivise a German attack