Soviet Foreign Policy in the 1920s Flashcards
How could you sum up the relations between the US and the Soviets during the Cold War?
Cold war was a long period of peaceful co-existence - dotted with a few crises
What was the NEP and what did it entail?
After the civil war, Lenin revised his economic policy and introduced the New Economic Policy (NEP). Through this, peasants were allowed to sell some of their produce for profit and small traders were allowed to run businesses.
What did the Russians start in January 1920 and why did they do it?
January 1920 - discussions begin with Western government over trade - Russia see the west as a perhaps v valuable resource. Oil was tempting for West.
What was formed in 1920 and why was it controversial?
- Initally, Western governments didn’t recognise them as a govt, throughout 1920s - France sees them as legit etc
- 1920 - formation of Arcos (All-Russian Cooperative Society) - controversial in England - Churchill ie is against it - how can we trade with the Bolsheviks?
What was agreed in 1921 and what did it entail? What were its weaknesses?
Anglo-Soviet Trade Agreement, 1921:
Each party refrains from hostile action
Russia doesn’t encourage British colony inhabitants to overthrow BE
Britain show similar respect to Russian Empire
Falters over what happens in India
Fear of Bolshevism - imperialism? Ideology?
What were the relations between Russia and Germany like?
Soviet-German relations - Having already established a breathing space with biggest enemy - Britain
Starts another peaceful co-existence with Germany - despite Germnay intervening in Civil War and trying to be a Liberal Democracy
Common opposition to the ToV
Particularly dislike the new Polish borders - or Poland in general (Russia) – Poland in interwar period received a lot of land many thought they didn’t deserve
Both outcasts from international system
Secret military collaboration: helped subvert Versailles ban on German armaments
Economic trade and concessions
What was the Genoa Conference and what was the Russians’ aims? What disagreements were there?
Genoa Conference, 1922
Lots of “bigwigs”
Economic conference to look at the future of Europe - first since WWI
Lenin - “trade with capitalists is unconditionally necessary for us… go there to discuss… the appropriate political conditions for this trade” - unless they have collapsed, still thinkg Capitalist nations will fall
Wanted to integrate Russia in economically
Failed to agree on question of Soviet debts and liabilities - British and French want their money back - acknowledge Tsar’s debts - they argued that they were not the descendant of the Tsarist State + they wanted their own debts due to intervention and damages in civil war
What was the Treaty of Rapallo, and when was it signed?
Treaty of Rapallo, April 1922:
Soviets and Germans meeting in secret
Formal agreement with Germany - military collaborations (secret) and open trades
Why did the Russians make a deal with Germany?
Deal with Germany - hoped to split them from the West - weaken the West
What did the Soviet Union become recognised as?
The soviet union recognised as the heir to the rights and interests of the former Russian Empire
What was the Curzon Ultimatum and when was it issued?
1923 - Curzon Ultimatum - The Soviet Union must ‘refrain from hostile acton of undertaking agains Great Britain, and from conducting outside of its borders any official propaganda direct or indirect against the insitiution of the British Empire’
What did the Curzon Ultimatum show regarding Anglo-Soviet relations?
Fragile peace
When was the Zinoviev letter “sent”, what did it contain?
Zinoviev letter - occurred during Labour Govt that was sympathetic with Soviets
Daily Mail publises what they proport a letter from Zinoviev - addressed to Communist parties/orgs in Britain - get ready for uprising - “Communist Russia ready to subvert Britain?”
Was fraudulent - DM may have thought it was true - SU weren’t idiots, realised Brit wasn’t near revolution
Written by white russian emigrates - hoping to disrupt Brit
What was signed in 1925 and why was it unwelcome news for Russia?
The Locarno Security Pact, 1925:
Triumph for new western order but disastrous for Russia - Germany accpeted back into European order
V unwelcome news - wanted division, not unity
Why was there a War Scare for Russia in 1927?
- 1926 British General Strike - anger at support from Moscow
- 1926 - Pilsudski came to power in Poland (anti-Russian) - weak spot for Russia - militaristic leader
- April 1927 - massacre of Chinese Communosts in Shanghai - development of Communist movement obliterated - starting to feel fragile everywhere
- May 1927 Baldwin broke off relations with SU and annuls that infamous trade deal
- See all Capitalist states as the enemy, doesn’t differentiate Germany - only once Hitler comes to power realises that Brit and Franc would make better allies
If war was to break out in the 1920s, who did Russia think would be the aggressors?
Think war was coming through Britain and France - via proxy like Poland - NOT from Germany
