TOPIC 9 - The Soviet Union and Eastern Europe 1924-2000
Stalin's Foreign Policy
The foreign policy of Lenin and Stalin was highly complex, and involved numerous zigzags. At its best, it was skilful, confident and effective; at its worst, it was blundering, uncertain and ruinous. Throughout the period there was an internal conflict between ideological motives on the one hand and, on the other, a pragmatism which bordered on cynicism.
Stalin's foreign policy was so complex that it is the subject of considerable controversy. At first, his Soviet government succeeded in gaining respectability, by gaining diplomatic recognition in 1924 from Britain, France and Japan. The Berlin Treaty in 1926 brought together a second agreement between Russia and Germany, a neutrality pact that somewhat renewed the agreements made between the two at Rapallo (Treaty of Rapallo). However, it was not smooth sailing soon afterwards as relations with the British broke down in 1927. By the end of the 1920s, Stalin was deliberately playing down friendship with the West, arguing that Soviet Russia no longer need any form of Western economic assistance and that capitalism would be destroyed by an economic crisis. Open contact with Germany, by renewing the Treaty of Berlin in 1931, however, was what Stalin had pursued, although he made no attempt to assist the Weimar Republic in preventing the rise of Nazism between 1931 and 1933. By 1935, Stalin appeared to change course and drew up agreements with the West to contain Germany (Soviet-French and Soviet-Czechoslovak Treaties of Mutual Assistance). Furthermore, Stalin had also secured Soviet Russia's entry into the League of Nations and from 1935 onwards, sponsored the growths of popular fronts in Europe in which communists, socialists and liberals were encouraged to resist fascism. By 1938, however, Stalin altered, yet again, Soviet Russia's foreign policy and by 1939, Stalin was double-dealing with Britain and France on the one hand and Nazi Germany on the other. In August 1939, Stalin had chosen to side with Nazi Germany , formally signing the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact.
Key dates to remember:
1914- WW1 breaks out
1917- Russian revolution (February and October)
1918- Russian Civil War
1919- Comintern is established (Communist International)
1920- Russia is refused to join the League of Nations
1922- Rapallo Treaty between Germany and Russia
1924- Zinoviev letter (UK breaks off diplomatic relations with USSR)
1925- Locarno Treaties with Germany
1926- Germany joins the League of Nations
1928- First Five Year Plan is put into action
1929- Wall Street Crash sparks off the Great Depression across Europe
1931- Manchurian Crisis- Japan invades Manchuria and League fails to react
1933- Hitler comes to power (cancels Rapallo Treaty with USSR & signs friendship agreement with Poland)
1932-33- Soviet non-aggression pacts
1934- USSR joins the League
1934- The Great Purges are started by Stalin in the USSR
1935- Stresa Front (Britain, Italy and France against Fascist aggression)
1935- Anglo-German Naval Agreement
1935- Alliances with France and Czech
1935- Abyssinian Crisis- league fails to react
1936- Spanish Civil War
1936- Anti-Comintern Pact between Germany, Italy and Japan
1936- Re-militarization of the Rhineland
1938- Anschluss.
1938- Munich Conference
1939- Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact
Key dates to remember:
1914- WW1 breaks out
1917- Russian revolution (February and October)
1918- Russian Civil War
1919- Comintern is established (Communist International)
1920- Russia is refused to join the League of Nations
1922- Rapallo Treaty between Germany and Russia
1924- Zinoviev letter (UK breaks off diplomatic relations with USSR)
1925- Locarno Treaties with Germany
1926- Germany joins the League of Nations
1928- First Five Year Plan is put into action
1929- Wall Street Crash sparks off the Great Depression across Europe
1931- Manchurian Crisis- Japan invades Manchuria and League fails to react
1933- Hitler comes to power (cancels Rapallo Treaty with USSR & signs friendship agreement with Poland)
1932-33- Soviet non-aggression pacts
1934- USSR joins the League
1934- The Great Purges are started by Stalin in the USSR
1935- Stresa Front (Britain, Italy and France against Fascist aggression)
1935- Anglo-German Naval Agreement
1935- Alliances with France and Czech
1935- Abyssinian Crisis- league fails to react
1936- Spanish Civil War
1936- Anti-Comintern Pact between Germany, Italy and Japan
1936- Re-militarization of the Rhineland
1938- Anschluss.
1938- Munich Conference
1939- Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact
Task 1: Stalin's Foreign Policy
Instructions
1. Read the following sources: pages 128 to 132 "History - 20th Century World: Authoritarian & Single-Party States (purple text)" and he scanned text "Corin & Fiehn - 229-269.pdf"
2. This task has three sections to complete.
3. Section A – answer the question.
4. Section B – Read the sources (particularly the primary sources from both scanned texts) and complete the table (see below).
5. Section C – Complete the table (see example) addressing the following question:
Why do Historians disagree on Soviet foreign policy?
1. Read the following sources: pages 128 to 132 "History - 20th Century World: Authoritarian & Single-Party States (purple text)" and he scanned text "Corin & Fiehn - 229-269.pdf"
2. This task has three sections to complete.
3. Section A – answer the question.
4. Section B – Read the sources (particularly the primary sources from both scanned texts) and complete the table (see below).
5. Section C – Complete the table (see example) addressing the following question:
Why do Historians disagree on Soviet foreign policy?
Task A: Answer the following question
What were the underlying factors that determined Stalin's foreign policy? For each one describe its characteristics. Afterwards, arrange them in order of importance (according to you).
Task B: Complete the following table regarding Collective Security
N.B.: Make sure you also read the background of USSR's relation with Britain & Germany in the 1920s from your sources.
N.B.: Make sure you also read the background of USSR's relation with Britain & Germany in the 1920s from your sources.
Task C: Historical Interpretations
Complete the table addressing the following question: Why do Historians disagree on Soviet Foreign Policy?
Make sure you read the primary sources, particularly on historians about the Nazi-Soviet Non Aggression pact
to aid you in your understanding of this section.
Complete the table addressing the following question: Why do Historians disagree on Soviet Foreign Policy?
Make sure you read the primary sources, particularly on historians about the Nazi-Soviet Non Aggression pact
to aid you in your understanding of this section.
Mark Scheme
Exam Questions
Paper 3 Questions
Paper 3 Questions
- “Stalin’s domestic and foreign policies between 1945 and 1953 lacked consistent aims.” To what extent do you agree with this statement? (Nov 2009)