Foreign policy of the USSR.

This is a great and powerful country that existed in the twentieth century. It left its mark in world history as a leading country. But there was a time when the USSR also sought the recognition of European states, starting to develop from the very bottom.

background

The beginning of the 20th century was marked for the Russian Empire by a number of historically important events: the First World War, the February October Revolution, the overthrow of the Romanov dynasty and the formation of a new state. From this moment begins a new page in the history of the Russian state - the history of the USSR. The government headed by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin put the idea of ​​achieving socialism as the basis for the development of the newly formed state.

World recognition of the USSR in the 20-30s of the XX century

Despite the fact that the overthrow of the monarchy and the transformation of the state took place in 1917, the country received international recognition after the 1920s. The foreign policy of the USSR in the 20-30s was primarily aimed at the recognition of the newly formed state throughout the world.

After the premature withdrawal from the First World War and the refusal to pay the tsarist debts, the USSR fell out of favor with the world's leading states. However, in 1922, after the official unification of Ukraine, Belarus, Transcaucasia and Russia into a single Union, the beginning of a period of diplomatic recognition of the USSR was laid. It was possible to achieve a European predisposition and lift the economic blockade thanks to the first People's Commissars for Foreign Affairs. This position at that time was occupied by G. V. Chicherin and M. M. Litvinov.

The introduction of the NEP played an important role. The famine of 1921 caused discontent among the peasants and workers, which escalated into the Kronstadt rebellion. The political system of the USSR in the 1920s and 1930s needed to change its direction and was transformed from war communism into a new economic policy. Such changes in the internal government of the country softened the attitude of Western states towards Russia and contributed to their rapprochement in the future.

Estonia was the first to conclude an international treaty with the Soviet Union, after which, within three years, agreements were concluded with another 13 European countries. In 1922, during the Genoa Conference, where the USSR was invited to resolve the conflict between Western countries and Russia, the Rapallo Treaty was signed with Germany. Later, agreements were signed that resolved issues of borders and economic relations with neighboring countries: Afghanistan, Turkey, Iran. During 1921-22, the Soviet Union signed trade agreements with Norway, England, Austria, Czechoslovakia and Italy. The foreign policy of the USSR in the 20-30s began its active development.

First exacerbations

However, this upswing in foreign policy did not last long, and new conflicts soon emerged. After the death of V. I. Lenin in 1923, internal political clashes took place between his close associates for the vacant place of the leader. He was occupied by the determined and ambitious Joseph Stalin. To achieve his goals, he used any means. The generalissimo adhered to such a sharp policy in international relations as well.

In 1927, a miners' riot broke out in England. The USSR came out in support of them and planned to provide material assistance. This behavior of the state turned away from the government of England and served as an impetus for breaking off all diplomatic relations. Following England, Canada, the USA, France and Belgium imposed a ban on the supply of goods from the Soviet Union.

After 2 years, a political liberation movement broke out in China, which was also supported by the USSR, but in the end it all ended in defeat and aggravation of relations with China. It was possible to restore them only in 1930 in order to counter the growing aggression from Japan.

The period of the world economic crisis

In 1929, an incredible event took place, which led to the development of the world crisis. It went down in history as Black Tuesday. Suddenly there was a collapse of the stock exchange on Wall Street. The fall in stocks began as early as Thursday, but the complete collapse came on Tuesday, October 29, 1929. Since most of the European countries that suffered losses during the First World War survived on cash loans from the United States, the fall of the dollar immediately brought these states into an economic crisis. Mass protests began, the unemployment rate increased, and the living conditions of the population worsened. Such problems have contributed to domestic political changes in many countries.

What was the government of the Soviet Union doing at that time? In the USSR in the 20-30s of the twentieth century, a period of economic recovery began. There were plans for the first "five-year plans", anew agreements were concluded with leading European countries. During the world crisis in the USSR, the export of food products increased many times over: bread, grain, meat and other products. The foreign policy of the USSR in the 1920s and 1930s experienced a new upsurge.

The position of the USSR in the late 30s

It was only by the middle of 1933 that the crisis was suppressed. At the same time, an important change occurred that significantly influenced the course of history - the coming to power in Germany of Adolf Hitler. While the world's leading countries were busy solving domestic political problems, the development of the military industry began in Germany, bypassing the terms of the Versailles Treaty.

The Union again managed to return the favor of the European states and strengthen its position. The foreign policy of the USSR in the 20-30s moved to a new level of European relations. This is evidenced by the Union's entry into the League of Nations in 1934. In connection with the events taking place in Germany, the USSR came up with a proposal to create a system of common security in Europe.

A year later, agreements on mutual assistance were signed with France and Czechoslovakia in the event of an attack by one of the European states, implicitly implying Germany. One by one, China, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia began to conclude similar documents with the Union.

In turn, Germany creates an alliance with Japan, and later with Italy. Gradually, aggressive actions began on the part of Germany in relation to the nearest countries.

Active foreign policy activity of the USSR

From 1936 to 1941, the Soviet Union was active in foreign policy, supported the Spanish government in the fight against the rebels sponsored by Germany and Italy. The USSR helped China in the confrontation with Japan. At the same time, in 1933, the Soviet Union attacked Finland. As a result, the northern part of Karelia was annexed to the state. This behavior outraged the Government of European countries. As a result, the USSR was expelled from the League of Nations.

The situation in Europe has changed dramatically, as well as the foreign policy of the USSR. M. Litvinov was replaced by V.M. Molotov. In the light of recent events, the Soviet Union decided to take a serious step - the signing of a secret non-aggression pact with Germany, known in the history of the USSR as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. A week later, German troops entered Poland, starting the Second World War.

Hi all!

The foreign policy of the USSR at the beginning of its existence was contradictory. One side The Soviet Union sought to spread socialist ideas and help the working class end the capitalist and colonial regime. BUT on the other hand, it was necessary to maintain relations with the capitalist powers in order to establish economic and political ties with them and increase the international prestige of the USSR.

In turn, the attitude of Western countries towards Soviet Russia was also ambiguous. One side, the movement of the working class against capitalism did not sympathize with them at all, and they set the isolation of the Soviet Union as one of the tasks of their foreign policy. But, on the other hand, The West wanted to regain the money and property it lost after the Soviets came to power, and to this end sought to establish political and economic ties with the USSR.

20s

In 1921-1922, England, Austria, Norway and other countries signed trade agreements with Russia. Then economic ties were put in order with countries that were once part of the Russian Empire: Poland, Lithuania, Finland, Estonia and Latvia. In 1921, Soviet Russia expanded its influence in the East by concluding agreements with Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan that established the rule of mutual assistance and mutual recognition between countries. In the same 1921, Russia provided military assistance to Mongolia in the revolution, supporting the leader Sukhe-Bator.

Genoese conference.

In 1922, the Genoa Conference took place. Russia was offered formal recognition in exchange for an agreement to accept Western claims. The following requirements were put forward.

West:

• the return of the imperial debt (18 billion rubles) and property that belonged to Western capitalists before nationalization;
• the abolition of the monopoly on imports;
• allowing foreigners to invest in Russian industry;
• Stopping the spread of the “revolutionary contagion” in Western countries

Russia:

• Compensation for the damage caused by the interventionists during the Civil War (39 billion rubles)
• Guaranteed issuance of long-term loans to Russia
• Adoption of a program to limit weapons and prohibit the use of brutal weapons in war

But both sides could not find a compromise. The issues of the conference were not resolved.

But Russia managed to conclude an agreement with Germany in Rapallo, which contributed to the further development of relations in a positive way.

After the creation of the USSR, a streak of confessions followed. All states except the United States accepted the Soviet Union.

Further, in the face of the growing threat of a new world war, the USSR needed to reduce international tension and increase its authority. The Soviets put forward two proposals to resolve the escalating conflict: a declaration on general disarmament in 1927 and an arms reduction convention in 1928. None of them were accepted. But in 1928 the Union agreed with the call of the Briand-Kellogg Pact to reject war as a method of resolving international strife.

30s

In 1929, the world overcame the economic crisis, which caused a change in foreign policy in many countries. The international position grew more and more. In this regard, the USSR made the following decisions:

• Do not enter into armed international conflicts
• Maintain relations with democratic countries in the name of pacifying the aggression of Germany and Japan
• Create a system of collective security in Europe

In 1933 the USA recognized the USSR. In 1934, the League of Nations accepted the Soviet Union into its ranks. After the USSR, he agreed with France and Czechoslovakia on support in case of war (1935).

Soon the USSR violated its principle of non-interference in the circumstances of other states and in 1936 helped the Spanish Popular Front in the civil war.

International tension increased, the countries of the West were less and less successful in restraining the aggression of Germany, Japan and Italy. From the East, the USSR was threatened by Japan in alliance with Germany. Realizing that they were not able to eliminate the fascist threat, Western countries began to look for ways to repel it from themselves. To do this, they concluded the Munich Agreement (1938).

England and France no longer believed in the ability of the USSR to repel the onslaught of the Nazis and did not express a desire to conclude security treaties with the Union. In this regard, the USSR turned its foreign policy in the opposite direction, concluding a non-aggression pact with Germany (1939). To some extent, this agreement "untied the hands" of Nazi Germany and contributed to the outbreak of World War II (September 1, 1939).

© Anastasia Prikhodchenko 2015

The foreign policy of the USSR in the 20-30s

In the 1920s, the Soviet Union was recognized by the leading powers of the world. In 1924, diplomatic relations were established with Great Britain, France, and Italy. In the 20s. actively developed economic cooperation with Germany. With the advent of the fascist party to power in Germany, the policy of the USSR underwent changes. At the end of 1933, a collective security plan was developed. From that time until August 1939, Soviet foreign policy had a clear anti-German orientation, which was confirmed by mutual assistance agreements with France and Czechoslovakia, concluded in 1935. At the same time, in 1935, the USSR condemned the Italian attack on Ethiopia, and in 1936 supported the Spanish Republic in the fight against General Franco.

Western countries (first of all England, France, the USA) pursued a policy of "appeasement of the aggressor" and sought to direct its predatory actions against the USSR. So, in September 1938, in Munich, England and France agreed to transfer the Sudetenland to Czechoslovakia to Germany.

The situation in the Far East was also tense. In 1928, there was a conflict between the USSR and China on the Chinese Eastern Railway (CER), which was quickly resolved. But here in the East, the Soviet Union was opposed by Japan. In August 1938, there was a major clash with Japanese troops in the area of ​​​​Lake Khasan near Vladivostok, and in the summer of 1939 on the Khalkhin-Gol River. The Japanese troops were defeated.

The aggressive actions of fascist Germany in Europe prompted Britain and France in the spring and summer of 1939 to negotiate with the USSR to counter the aggressor, but by August 1939 these negotiations reached an impasse. Then the USSR on August 23, 1939 signed a non-aggression pact with Germany (the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact) for a period of ten years. A secret protocol on the division of spheres of influence in Europe was attached to it. The Soviet sphere included part of Poland (Western Ukraine and Western Belarus), the Baltic States (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia), Bessarabia, and Finland.

Having signed the pact, fascist Germany attacked Poland on September 1, 1939. England and France, having treaties of mutual assistance with Poland, declared war on Germany. So September 1, 1939. World War II began. September 17, 1939 The Red Army crossed the border of Poland and established control over Western Ukraine and Western Belarus, which were included in the Ukrainian SSR and the BSSR. On September 28, 1939, a friendship treaty was signed between the USSR and Germany, which specified the delimitation of spheres of influence in Europe. In September-October 1939, agreements on mutual assistance were signed between the USSR, on the one hand, and Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, on the other. In August 1940, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were included in the USSR. After a difficult Soviet-Finnish war (November 1939 - March 1940), part of the territory of Finland (the entire Karelian Isthmus with the city of Vyborg) was ceded to the USSR. In June 1940, the government of the USSR demanded that Romania return Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina. The Romanian authorities were forced to meet these demands.

Meanwhile, Germany, having occupied almost all the countries of Europe, was intensively preparing for an attack on the USSR.

The foreign policy of the USSR in the 20-30s

Foreign policy of the USSR in the 20-30s. developed in the direction of establishing official diplomatic relations with other states and illegal attempts to transport revolutionary ideas. With the advent of understanding the impossibility of an immediate implementation of the world revolution, more attention began to be paid to strengthening the external stability of the regime.

In the early 20s. The USSR achieved the lifting of the economic blockade. A positive role was played by the decree of the Council of People's Commissars on concessions of November 23, 1920 ᴦ. The signing of trade agreements with England, Germany, Norway, Italy, Denmark and Czechoslovakia meant the actual recognition of the Soviet state. 1924-1933 - years of gradual recognition of the USSR. In 1924 alone, diplomatic relations were established with thirteen capitalist countries. The first Soviet People's Commissars for Foreign Affairs were G.V. Chicherin and M.M. Litvinov. Οʜᴎ achieved great success in the international development of the Soviet state thanks to a brilliant education and manners received in tsarist Russia. It was through their efforts that relations with England were resumed, peace and trade treaties were signed with France, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and thus the barrier cordon between the Soviet Union and Europe was lifted.

At the end of the 1920s, there was a sharp deterioration in the international position of the USSR. The reason for this was the support of the national liberation movement in China by the Soviet government. There was a break in diplomatic relations with England due to attempts to materially support the striking British workers. The religious leaders of the Vatican and England called for a crusade against Soviet Russia.

The policy of the Soviet state changed adequately to the change in the political situation in the world. In 1933 ᴦ. after the National Socialist dictatorship came to power in Germany, the Soviet Union began to show interest in creating a system of collective security in Europe.

In 1934 ᴦ. The USSR was admitted to the League of Nations.

In 1935 ᴦ. The USSR concluded an agreement with France on mutual assistance in case of aggression in Europe. Hitler saw this as an anti-German move and used it to take over the Rhineland.

In 1936 ᴦ. German intervention in Italy and Spain begins. The USSR supported the Spanish Republicans by sending equipment and specialists. Fascism began to spread across Europe.

In March 1938 ᴦ. Germany took over Austria. In September 1938 ᴦ. A conference was held in Munich with the participation of Germany, England, France and Italy, by the general decision of which Germany was given the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia.

The USSR condemned this decision.

Germany invades Czechoslovakia and Poland.

A tense situation persisted in the Far East. In 1938-1939 he. there were armed clashes with units of the Japanese Kwantung Army on Lake Khasan, the Khalkhin Gol River and on the territory of Mongolia. The USSR achieved territorial concessions.

Having made several unsuccessful attempts to create a system of collective security in Europe, the Soviet government set a course for rapprochement with Germany.

The main goal of this policy was to avoid premature military conflict.

In August 1939 ᴦ. a non-aggression pact between Germany and the USSR (Molotov-Ribbentrop) and a secret protocol on the delimitation of spheres of influence were signed. Poland went to Germany, the USSR - the Baltic states, Eastern Poland, Finland, Western Ukraine, Northern Bukovina. Diplomatic relations with England and France were severed.

November 30, 1939 ᴦ. the Soviet-Finnish war began, which caused enormous financial, military and political damage to the country.

The foreign policy of the USSR in the 20-30s - the concept and types. Classification and features of the category "Foreign policy of the USSR in 20-30 years" 2017, 2018.

Principles of foreign policy of the USSR in the 20s

Remark 1

The foreign policy of the Soviet state in the 1920s. followed two conflicting directions.

The first principle was based on the need to solve the problem of foreign policy isolation by strengthening the country's positions in the international arena. The Soviet government was supposed to establish trade and economic relations with foreign countries.

However, the second principle was to follow the traditional doctrine of Bolshevism, which was to support the idea of ​​​​completing a world communist revolution. For this it was necessary to continue to actively support the revolutionary movement in other countries.

Successes in the first direction of foreign policy

A lot was done in the 1920s in the sphere of overcoming foreign policy isolation.

Since 1921, the building of trade and economic agreements with England, Germany, Norway, Italy and other countries began.

In 1922, the USSR for the first time in the post-revolutionary years took part in the international Genoa Conference. It did not bring any results other than the signing of the Rappala Treaty on the restoration of diplomatic relations and trade cooperation between Russia and Germany.

In 1924-1925, the USSR was finally recognized by Great Britain, France, Italy, Austria, Norway, Sweden, China and others, and until 1933 trade, economic and military-technical relations continued to develop with Germany, as well as with the United States (which, however, officially recognized the USSR only in 1933).

The second direction of foreign policy

Successes in the international arena interspersed with attempts to continue the cause of the world revolution, and in those countries with which it was difficult to establish mutually beneficial relations.

Example 2

For example, in 1923 the Comintern supported revolutionary actions in Germany and Bulgaria, and in 1921-1927 the USSR participated in the creation of the Communist Party of China.

In 1926, financial support was also provided to British miners who went on strike, which influenced the break in Soviet-British relations in 1927.

The choice of a single line of conduct in the foreign policy of the USSR in the 1920s

As a result, a single line of conduct in the foreign policy arena was chosen in 1928, when the point of view of I. V. Stalin prevailed in the leadership of the Bolsheviks. It consisted in building socialism in a specific country, and therefore assigned a subordinate role to the world revolution.

The international situation in the 30s

The international situation changed in 1933, when the National Socialists under the leadership of Hitler came to power in Germany. The country took a course to prepare for war in Europe.

Remark 2

The USSR was faced with a choice: either to remain faithful to the established friendly policy towards Germany, or to look for ways to isolate it.

The foreign policy of the Soviet Union until 1939 had an anti-German character.

Relations with Germany

Despite the growing military threat from Germany, the behavior of Britain, France and the United States was very passive. After the capture of Czechoslovakia by Germany in March 1939, in April the USSR proposed to France and England to conclude an agreement on a military alliance.

Nevertheless, Western countries still counted on a possible alliance with Germany. On August 23, 1939, a non-aggression pact was signed in Moscow by Foreign Ministers V. M. Molotov and I. Ribbentrop.

Despite a few months before the start of World War II, the Soviet Union adhered to all agreements with Germany, continuing to supply weapons and food.