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The development of Soviet Foreign Policy

This comprehensive analysis explores the development of Soviet foreign policy from the October Revolution in 1917 through the end of the 1950s, highlighting key factors such as geography, military readiness, and national morale. It examines the duality of ideology and national interest, with a focus on how the world revolutionary movement served as a tool for foreign policy. Key events are outlined, including the formation of the Comintern, engagements in World War II, and the impact of de-Stalinization. The significance of this period in shaping global anti-colonial movements is also discussed.

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The development of Soviet Foreign Policy

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  1. The development of Soviet Foreign Policy Part I 1917-1958

  2. Geography Natural Resources Industrial capacity Military preparedness Population National character National morale Quality of Diplomacy Quality of Government Morgenthau’s original points

  3. Goals conflict • Continuation of Tsarist tradition or World Revolution? • Sometimes called “Ideology v National Interest” • Some commentators argue that the two are not irreconcileable: World revolutionary movement became a foreign policy tool

  4. Geography Natural Resources Industrial capacity Military preparedness Population National character National morale Quality of Diplomacy Quality of Government Morgenthau’s original points

  5. Timeline 1 Lenin, Trotsky and Zinoviev • October 1917 Revolution • March 1918 Brest-Litovsk • 1917-21 “War of Foreign Intervention” • 1919-43 Comintern • 16.4.1922 Rapallo • 1924 Death of Lenin

  6. Timeline 2 [Stalin] • Need for investment: 100,000 tractors • 17th Party Congress 1934 • Spanish Civil War 1936 • 18th Party Congress 1938 • Ribbentrop-Molotov non-aggression Pact Sept 28th 1939 • Division of Poland Sept 17th 1939 • War with Finland Nov 1939-March 1940 • June 1940 Baltic States and Bessarabia

  7. Timeline 3 Second World War • April 1941 Non-Aggression pact with Japan • June 22nd 1941 German Invasion • Stalingrad Feb 1943 • Kursk July-Aug 1943 • Tehran, Yalta, Potsdam Conferences • Invasion of Manchuria two days after Hiroshima Aug 8th 1945

  8. Timeline 4 After 2nd World War • Stalin purged and later closed down the Comintern • After German invasion, Communist parties revived as resistance groups • Where Red Army liberated territory, Communists effectively given power according to percentages of influence decided at Yalta and Potsdam Conferences • Remember Yugoslavia and Albania effectively self-liberated

  9. More after WW II • Important to realise many democratic parties in eastern Europe discredited by pre-war politics [Brzezinski] • Nevertheless after Czech coup in 1948, Stalinisation became the order of the day • China liberated itself 1949 • Vietnamese fighting French • Communists in coalitions in France and Italy • Civil war in Greece • Finally Korean War

  10. After Stalin’s death • Korean War ended • De-stalinisation agenda of Khrushchev • Secret speech of 1956 • Poland and Hungary 1956 • Anti-party group crisis 1957 • Peaceful coexistence • K and B’s overseas visits

  11. The significance and impact of Sov FP in this period? • Creation of anti-capitalist revolutionary socialist movement world-wide • Strengthening of anti-colonial forces • In Europe, mostly concerned with regaining territory lost after 1917 • In Asia, won the unknown war with Japan and very involved with China • Supportive of Nasser, Nehru, Nkrumah and “progressive forces” generally

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