Stalin's Foreign Policy Complete

Question 1

Why were Germany and USSR natural allies in 1920’s?

Answer 1

Both rejected from LON
Both in financial difficulty- Russia= backwards, Germany suffering after WW1
The Soviet’s benefitted from German technical expertise e.g. in modernisation of industry and armament production to acquire new weapons

Question 2

What treaties were in place to cement the relationship of Germany and Russia in the 1920’s?

Answer 2

Treaty of Rapallo 1922

Treaty of Berlin 1926

Question 3

What was the Treaty of Rapallo?

Answer 3

An agreement in which they renounced all territorial and financial claims against the other following the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and World War I.

Question 4

How did Germany benefit from early relationships with USSR?

Answer 4

The vastness of Russian territory enabled the German Army to carry through military developments that were forbidden under the TOV

Question 5

What is an interpretation of the idea that ‘Germany and USSR were natural allies’?

Answer 5

They were not natural allies but more beneficial allies

Question 6

Why was Stalin slow to react to the rise of Hitler?

Answer 6

It was argued that Stalin was pleased about the slow reaction as Hitler would accelerate the collapse of capitalism
Hitler could be destructive to capitalism and USSR would save resources allowing this to happen
They would delay an inevitable invasion- in the meantime they could exploit what they could get out of it and prepare for it
The question remains ‘What could Stalin have actually done regarding the rise of Hitler?’

Question 7

What was the interpretation of Stalin’s foreign policy in the 1930’s?

Answer 7

He had a ‘zig-zag’ policy which would constantly change according to the circumstances. He had a single minded obsession with security making his tactics unpredictable.

Question 8

What was the Stalin doctrine?

Answer 8

That consistently Stalin wanted a war between Germany and the capitalist west that would weaken both sides while the USSR remained neutral

Question 9

What are potential reasons for USSR admission into the LON in 1934?

Answer 9

USA diplomatic recognition
The presence of Maksim Litinov
Fear of Japanese aggression
USSR location?
Russia’s potential- domestically more appealing
Investment opportunity for capitalist powers in a time of depression
Replacement for Germany and Japan

Question 10

How did the USA establish relations with the USSR?

Answer 10

In 1933 an American Embassy was opened in Moscow allowing US diplomats to operate within the USSR instead of depending on Riga watchers- USA foreign policy experts based in Latvia

Question 11

How did Litinov aid the USSR’s entry into the LON?

Answer 11

He was the acceptable face of Soviet regime
He had long experience in the West and a polished political background
It was a visit by Litinov to Washington in Nov 1933 that finalised the agreement to re-open formal relations

Question 12

What is the previous history of Russian and Japanese relations?

Answer 12

Both countries had ambitions within Manchuria. This led to a Russo-Japanese war in 1904 which was settled by American mediation in 1905

Question 13

Why was Japan a major concern for Stalin?

Answer 13

Japan continued to rise regarding military power

Japan occupied Manchuria in 1931

Question 14

What new policy did Stalin introduce in 1935?

Answer 14

A policy to support broad-based ‘popular fronts’ which would result in united action against a fascist Italy and Germany

Question 15

What two things did the USSR sign in 1932 and then develop in 1934?

Answer 15

In 1932 a non aggression pact was negotiated with Poland and in 1934 this became a 10 year pact
In 1932 a non aggression pact was signed with France - this led to the Franco Soviet Pact of Mutual Assistance in 1944, signed 1935

Question 16

Why were France so willing to sign an agreement with the USSR?

Answer 16

They had a fear of Nazism and upcoming war- France had been economically devastated by WW1, while USSR were an investment opportunity in the time of depression- they were a form of protection

Question 17

What did the pact with Czechoslovakia entail?

Answer 17

The USSR would intervene militarily if Czechoslovakia was attacked by a ‘third party’ as long as the French did also

Question 18

Why was Hitler’s remilitarisation of the Rhineland significant?

Answer 18

It went against the TOV terms, however France demonstrated a passive response which weakened Stalin’s faith in the value of the Franco Soviet pact

Question 19

What were the events of the Spanish civil war which caused soviet intervention?

Answer 19

Right wing officers led by Francisco Franco launched a nationalist rebellion against the Spanish Republic, where both fascist Germany and Italy sent military support

Question 20

Why did the Soviets intervene in the Spanish Civil War?

Answer 20

To assert their status within the LON
France were passive in their pursuit of appeasement and were unlikely to be bold in resisting Germany
Ideological reasons
To gain experience- USSR needed to gain experience as specialist officers had been victims of Stalin’s purges

Question 21

Why were the Soviets hesitant about intervening in the Spanish Civil War?

Answer 21

Didn’t know how Britain and France would react as they followed the idea of collective security

Question 22

When did the USSR intervene in the Spanish Civil War?

Answer 22

September 1936

Question 23

How would you describe the Soviet intervention in the Spanish Civil War?

Answer 23

Large scale and rapidly implemented with hundred of Soviet advisers sent to Spain, backed by troops, tanks and aircraft

Question 24

How and why did Stalin’s intervention change in 1937?

Answer 24

How- direct military commitment was scaled down
Why- The soviet aim was no longer to help the Republic to victory but to wear down Italian and German forces and prolong the war
Disillusionment with France and Britain- there was a growing suspicion of Stalin’s intentions in Spain. The intervention symbolised an exacerbated fear and dislike of Soviet communism

Question 25

Where was the LON proven to be ineffective when dealing with aggression?

Answer 25

In 1931 it failed to deal with the Japanese intervention in Manchuria

Question 26

What was the danger to Stalin and the USSR in 1938?

Answer 26

From secret intelligence reports it was made aware to Stalin that Hitler had told his generals in Nov 1937 to prepare for a war of aggression and territorial expansion in Poland and Czechoslovakia

Question 27

Why did Stalin feel he could not rely on B and F in 1938?

Answer 27

Their policies were dominated by attitudes of appeasement

Question 28

Where did F and B demonstrate their inactive approach?

Answer 28

In March 1938, when Germany invaded Austria- Anschluss- they protested but took no action

Question 29

What was the cause of the Munich conference?

Answer 29

Hitler insisted that the Sudetenland be transferred from Czechoslovakia to Germany. The pact between France and Czech should have been activated but it was Neville Chamberlain who took charge in 1938.

Question 30

Who was and was not invited to the Munich conference?

Answer 30

Britain, France, Germany and Italy
Czechoslovakia was not invited and neither was USSR
This was an indication that the Western world still viewed USSR as an inferior power

Question 31

What was the impact of not inviting Stalin to the Munich conference?

Answer 31

Any hopes of an anti-Hitler alliance containing the USSR was severely dented

Question 32

What increased the threat of Japanese aggression?

Answer 32

The Anti-Comintern pact between Japan and Germany

Question 33

What was the anti-comintern pact?

Answer 33

Signed in November 1936, it was an agreement to take joint action against ‘interference’ in their internal affairs by the comintern. Italy joined the Anti-Comintern in Nov 1937

Question 34

How did USSR react to the Manchurian crisis?

Answer 34

They stationed substantial military forces on the Manchurian frontier from summer 1938. These tensions spilled over to a major war that raged from May to Sept 1939, involving 100,000 troops and 100 tanks and aircraft

Question 35

What was the decisive battle that involved USSR and Japan?

Answer 35

Khlakhin Gol in August 1939 where the USSR army encircled and defeated the Japanese, 75% of Japanese soldiers were killed

Question 36

What was the significance of the ‘Forgotten War’?

Answer 36

It highlighted how the USSR was under-rated and the Japanese focused their expansions elsewhere

Question 37

What was happening at the same time as the Forgotten War?

Answer 37

Molotov was signing the Nazi Soviet Pact

Question 38

Why did the Nazi Soviet pact appeal to Stalin?

Answer 38

He wanted to avoid war and instead encourage a fascist vs democratic war, while the USSR remained neutral
It offered territorial gains e.g. in eastern Poland and the Baltic states
It guaranteed breathing space- allowing time to consolidate the great economic changes within Russia

Question 39

Why did the Nazi Soviet pact appeal to Hitler?

Answer 39

It gave him the free hand to invade Poland and provided him with raw materials from Russia

Question 40

After the Nazi Soviet pact why were Stalin’s attitudes to the rest of the world surprising?

Answer 40

He remained open to a military alliance with the West
He allowed Litinov to continue negotiations with the Western democracies
Soviet propaganda against Nazi evils still continued

Question 41

How were Britain and France slow in intervention regarding protecting Poland?

Answer 41

They both agreed to protect Poland and go to war with Germany if they were invaded. Protection of Poland required Soviet intervention however Poland was reluctant to allow the Soviet to enter their country. The Anglo-French Military mission did not reach Moscow until Aug 1939 and by this time the pact had already been negotiated

Question 42

Why did the Nazi-Soviet pact outcomes benefit Stalin?

Answer 42

It gave him protection from a war against Germany at a time when the USSR were militarily weak
It gave him ‘Breathing space’ to concentrate on internal affairs
Stalin was able to seize control of the Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia etc
Stalin could look forward to the prospects of a long war in which B, F, G would all be economically and militarily exhausted

Question 43

How did Stalin’s miscalculations regarding the Nazi- Soviet Pact destroy his optimism?

Answer 43

He overestimated the strength of France- presuming they would fight a long war- but their rapid fall in June 1940 was a shock for Stalin.
Stalin thought he could trust Hitler. Stalin was loyal- he always paid promptly in gold, trade treaties were further negotiated. But by 1940 Hitler had begun preparing to invade the USSR.

Question 44

`Was Stalin made aware of Hitler’s intentions to invade?

Answer 44

Yes, allied intelligence warned him, but he refused to accept the matter and ignored them.

Question 45

When did Germany invade USSR?

Answer 45

22nd June 1941

Question 46

How would you summarise the USSR foreign policy?

Answer 46

Inconsistent
USSR-Germany= cooperation, violent ideological hostility, to a non-aggression pact to total war
USSR went from diplomatic isolation, to LON member, to prospective alliance with the West, to total hostility against the West to war with Western allies.
Stalin’s only consistency lied in his obsession to defend the Soviet state

Question 47

How significant was the Russian Japanese War?

Answer 47

Insignificant internationally but significant diplomatically
It was a confidence boost for Russia after the Spanish Civil War
It heightens the potential of the USSR which is often undermined
It was a victory against a technically advanced Japan- USSR first to react to Japan and this caused Japan to redirect their attention to USA
It was possibly insignificant as a conflict as it took place in the east rather than the west