USSR + Western Response 1924-33

By df3star

  • Ideology - Comintern

    -became branch of Soviet Foreign office
    -primary role of protecting USSR
    -foreign communist parties had to swear "absolute obedience" to "Bolshevisation

  • Stalin's Aims for 1924-33

    -continuity between Lenin and him = compromise rather than confrontation
    -pragmatist
    -wanted to protect USSR, defensive attitude
    -"Socialism in One Country", avoiding premature conflicts + socialist society
    -"Left Turn" 1928
    -Second Revolution late 1920s w/ 5 year plans
    -transforming economy to industrial superpower
    -cynical ploy on USSR patriotism that they didn't need foreign help
    -wrath of other nations too high of a price
    -USSR-progress 100 years in 10 years

  • Motives + Aims of Western govs to USSR

    -exception of Br + Fr, USSR remained largely isolated-continue to be the case w/ WR embraced
    -change in tactics even if suspicion + hostility remained
    -lack of success of West to accept USSR
    -Weimar Ger not same aims as other West, shared marginalised status

  • Locarno Conference

    -Germany's western borders confirmed, eastern borders not
    -deepening USSR'S isolation
    -Germany potentially push into USSR

  • German-Soviet economic agreement

  • Locarno Treaties

    -using Germany as bulwark
    -Dawes Plan + Young Plan, loans to each other
    -USA -> 800m marks to Germany

  • Treaty of Berlin

    -5 years neutrality
    -chemical weapons facility + Samara Oblast w/ Red Army has access
    -reaffirmed Treaty of Rapallo
    -300m German marks loans

  • Britian + Canada broke off diplomatic relations w/ USSR

  • Geneva Preparatory Commission

    -Litvinov asked for immediate and total disarmament

  • Kellog-Briand Pact

    -renounced use of war as an instrument of political policy
    -signed by italy germany britain france

  • Left Turn

    -extreme left-wing policies of rapid industrialisation
    -moved against Bukharin + right-wing of Communist party
    -foreign Communist parties intstructed to denounce social democratic parties as "Social Fascists"
    -KPD instructed to attack SPD in Germany, divided the left and allowed Nazis to get stronger

  • Wall Street Crash

    -showed superiority of Soviet system as they weren't impacted
    -proved to Stalin Communism was the strongest
    -little to fear from west, aggressive approach
    -wanting to exploit contradictions between them

  • Litvinov Protocol

    -new People's Commissar of Foreign Affairs Litvinov-anti war pact in eastern EU
    -USSR, Poland, Romania, Latvia, Estonia 1929
    -Finland, Lithuania, Turkey + Iran
    -peaceful intentions to wider world
    -gaining time while 2nd Revolution transformed USSR

  • France November pact

    -non aggression pact

  • Poland December pact

    -non aggression pact

  • USA relations

    -diplomatic relations
    -gave USSR official recognition