International relations 1929-43 Flashcards
Relations with Germany early 1930s
Renegotiation of Treaty of Berlin in 1931, Germany benefitting militarily from alliance e.g. Junkers aircraft factory near Moscow and Pilot school in Lipetsk.
Stalin’s response to the rise of Hitler
Slow to react, perhaps pleased as he saw as step towards destruction of capitalism, however 1933-4 put aside Rapallo Period to strengthen with Western democracies.
Nekrich’s argument
Stalin’s foreign policy was consistently focussed on war between the west and Germany with neutral USSR, not zig-zag.
Opening relations with the USA
American embassy established in Moscow 1933, Litvinov established as the acceptable face of USSR, visited Washington 1933 formally opening relations.
Who were the Riga Watchers
Before 1933, use American watchers use Latvia as a listening post for the USSR.
Significance of Japan
Historic rivalry with Russia e.g. 1904 war, 1931 Japan invaded Manchuria, worry Western powers and the USSR.
Joining the League of Nations
September 1934, collective security step against Russia, Germany and Japan had both withdrawn 1933 hence the shift from both sides.
What were ‘popular fronts’
In response to rise of fascism, ‘anti-fascist solidarity’ between liberals and the left, 1935 popular front government in France.
Changing Cominterm policy 1934-5
Previous hard-line policy of not supporting ‘social fascists’, official policy 1935 to support popular front governments.
Relations with Poland
Non-aggression pact 1932 extended into a 10 year agreement in 1934.
Relations with France
Non-aggression pact 1932, basis for pact of Mutual Assistance in 1935 as France became concerned about Nazi rearmament, however pact was very vague as didn’t specify when exactly it would be activated.
Relations with Czechoslovakia
1935 following French pact, pact to intervene in Czechoslovakia if they were invaded by a ‘third party’… as long as France did too, pressure put on French Communist party to get the pact through, and Litvinov a key player.
Impact of remilitarising the Rhineland
March 1936, directly contravened the Treaty of Versailles but France and Britain did not intervene, weakening faith in France-Soviet pact, set context for reaction to Spanish Civil War.
Spanish Civil War
1936 Nationalists under Franco rebelled against centre-left coalition, had support from the Army and Church, became representative of global struggle between far-left and right.
Other state’s reactions to the Spanish Civil War
both Italy and Germany sent military support to the Nationalist, France wanted to prevent the war spreading so proposed agreement of non-intervention, Stalin initially went along with it as well as Britain.
Stalin’s early involvement in Spanish Civil War
Decided to intervene in September 1936, saw weakness in French and British responses to fascism, large scale, hundreds of ‘advisers’ and military sent to Spain costing £88m. Soviet troops followed Moscow not the Spanish Republicans and propaganda went into overdrive including a mass rally in 1937.
Weaknesses of Stalin’s involvement in Spain.
Charged government for help and made it dependent on not supporting Trotskyist (e.g. POUM) or Anarchist forces, caused infighting in the left.
Change in Stalin’s intervention in Spain
From 1937 military commitment scaled down, aim to prolong the war and weaken fascist forces, and because of disillusionment with France and Britain.
Threats in 1937
Stalin knew from intelligence that Hitler was preparing for a ‘war of aggression’ and planning Eastern European expansion, Japan had also launched war of aggression in China, Western powers seemed unreliable and toothless after appeasement policies.
German expansion in 1938
March they incorporated Austria in to the German Reich, obvious next target Czechoslovakia and Nazi’s stirred up unrest there in German speaking Sudetenland to join Germany, should have triggered the 1935 pact but increasingly unlikely.
The Munich Conference
Chamberlain wanted to directly negotiate with Hitler, Munich Conference between UK, France, Italy, and Germany, USSR not invited despite previous pacts, and Czechoslovakia not invited despite situation, triggered anti-western feeling from Stalin leading to pact with Hitler.
Rising threat of Japan in 1936
Previous threat exacerbated by Anti-Comintern pact with Germany in 1936, agreement to take action against ‘interference’, Italy joined in 1937, forming the Axis powers.
Reaction to Anti-Comintern pact
USSR stationed military troops along frontier, spilled over into war May to September 1939, decisive battle at Khalkhin Gol where over 75% of Japanese troops killed.
Consequences of 1939 Russo-Japanese war
Japan suffered significant defeats, expansionists left the Soviet Union alone, led to shift in policy from Stalin that led to Nazi-Soviet pact.
Reasons for Nazi-Soviet pact
Hitler wanted to invade Poland without West and Stalin allied against him, Stalin wanted to avoid a two front war against Japan and Germany, he wanted Germany and the west to fight each other. For Hitler the pact let him invade Poland and gave him raw materials from Russia, Stalin got territorial gains and allowed him breathing space to focus internally.
French and British weaknesses leading up to Nazi-Soviet pact
Promised military assistance to Poland but not feasibly possible without Soviet help and Polish reluctant to let USSR into country, show complete lack or urgency, delegation only arrive in August 1939 in Moscow and Stalin had already negotiated with Hitler.
Terms of the Nazi Soviet pact
Signed August 1939, divided up Eastern Europe e.g. Stalin get Estonia, Finland, Eastern Poland, Hitler get Lithuania, West Poland etc
The Winter War
Soviets invaded Finland November 1939 with larger force but went very badly, purges weakened the Red Army, peace in 1940 and 10% Finnish territory go to USSR but still a failure.
Stalin’s miscalculations over the Nazi-Soviet pact
Strength of French Army: he thought they would last for years but France fell rapidly in June 1940, Germany not weakened.
Trusting Hitler: Stalin stuck to his side of deal and paid in gold and raw materials but 1940 Hitler already planning to invade, Stalin ignored intelligence reports from the Allies so was not prepared for invasion.
