Foreign Relations

Question 1

The First Comintern

Answer 1

• Mar 1919 - The First Communist International Comintern is established
• Aims to spread Marxism and encourage socialist revolution across the world

Question 2

The Second Comintern

Answer 2

• Jul-Aug 1920 - The Second Comintern Congress takes place in Petrograd, at the height of the Russo-Polish War
• Lenin introduces the “21 conditions”, stating that any country wanting to remain in the congress has to model their parties after Soviet structure and also follow Comintern decisions. This results in many countries leaving

Question 3

The Third Comintern

Answer 3

• Jun-Aug 1921 - Due to failed communist uprisings in other countries, the aim of the Comintern moves from encouraging international revolution to consolidating communism in Russia
• It remains an important symbol and many Bolshevik leaders remain outwardly supportive of it, but the driving force behind the congress slackens

Question 4

The Zinoviev Letter

Answer 4

• 1924
• A hoax concocted by a group of right-wing Brits led by Sidney Riley, which aimed to discredit the Labour Party in the 1924 election
• The letter encouraged British communists to promote revolution through acts of sedition (conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the state)

Question 5

Consequences of the Zinoviev Letter

Answer 5

• The letter failed to affect the election and the Labour party suffered very little from the resulting fallout
• The most significant repercussion was the effect it had on the diplomatic relations between Britain and the Soviet Union, which were soured at a time when the Bolsheviks were attempting to downplay worldwide revolution and Chicherin was working to improve foreign relations
• An Anglo-Soviet pact was never fully carried out and the relationship between the two countries soured

Question 6

Russo-Polish War - Beginning

Answer 6

• Mar 1920 - The Polish head of state, General Pilsudski, makes an alliance with the new Ukranian leader, Symon Petilura, to set their differences aside and launch an assault on Kiev against the Bolsheviks
• May - Kiev becomes occupied by Polish and Ukranian troops. The Bolsheviks launch a swift counter-attack, resulting in the Polish abandoning the city and retreating back to Warsaw

Question 7

Georgy Chicherin

Answer 7

• Deputy Minister for Foreign Relations
• Becomes optimistic with opening trade relations with Germany, leading to several discussions between the two countries. This is a major step in integrating Soviet Russia into international affairs
• By creating the Treaty of Rapallo, both Russia and Germany were no longer diplomatically isolated and it showed Lenin’s willingness to link Russia to other “bourgeoisie” countries

Question 8

Treaty of Rapallo

Answer 8

-1922

• Waives claims for compensation due to World War One (Article 1)
• Reopen former diplomatic relations and assures “mutual goodwill” in commercial and economic relations (Article 2-5)

-A secret clause is added which allows the German Army to carry out military training exercises inside the USSR

Question 9

Russo-Polish War - End

Answer 9

• The Polish are on the verge of defeat in Warsaw when Pilsudski mounts a desperate defence in the “Miracle on the Vistula” and manages to save the city
• Mar 1921 - Treaty of Riga signed

Question 10

Treaty of Riga

Answer 10

March 1921 - Peace is achieved between Poland, Ukraine and the Bolsheviks. The borders between the countries are also consolidated