SOVIET FOREIGN POLICY

1918-1941(Part I)

Soviet Foreign Policy :Soviet Foreign Policy :

1917 to 19241917 to 1924• Isolationism was the main foreign policyIsolationism was the main foreign policy• Ceded territories in exchange for peaceCeded territories in exchange for peace• Sought international recognitionSought international recognition

1924 to 19341924 to 1934• The Period of IsolationismThe Period of Isolationism• Promotion of Peaceful Intentions with Other Promotion of Peaceful Intentions with Other

CountriesCountries

1934 to 19411934 to 1941• Counter German ThreatCounter German Threat• Alliance with GermanyAlliance with Germany

1917 to 19241917 to 1924• Isolationism was the main foreign policyIsolationism was the main foreign policy• Ceded territories in exchange for peaceCeded territories in exchange for peace• Sought international recognitionSought international recognition

ISOLATIONISMISOLATIONISM • 1920s & 30s : Russia 1920s & 30s : Russia

kept to itselfkept to itself• Lenin and Stalin were Lenin and Stalin were

very busy very busy • Building socialism Building socialism

within Russiawithin Russia• Dealing with internal Dealing with internal

problems such as the problems such as the civil warscivil wars

• Reinforce their own Reinforce their own political positionspolitical positions

• They wanted to be They wanted to be left aloneleft alone

TREATY OF BREST-LITOVSKTREATY OF BREST-LITOVSK

• Russia withdrew from the Russia withdrew from the war in 1918war in 1918

• Agreed to handover a huge Agreed to handover a huge chunk of land to Germanychunk of land to Germany• This included Finland, This included Finland,

Estonia, Latvia, Lituania, Estonia, Latvia, Lituania, Poland and BessarabiaPoland and Bessarabia

• Germany lost WWIGermany lost WWI• Peoples in these territories Peoples in these territories

seized the opportunity to seized the opportunity to declare independencedeclare independence

• New Bolshevik Government New Bolshevik Government was too preoccupied with was too preoccupied with problems at home to worry problems at home to worry about these other problemsabout these other problems

TREATY OF BREST-LITOVSKTREATY OF BREST-LITOVSK

TERRITORIESBessarabia, Poland,Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lituania

Before WWI

Under Russian Rule

During WWI(Treaty of Brest-Litovsk)

Under German Control

Between WWI and WWIIBecame independent states

Bessarabia became part of Romania

During WWII

Once againUnder Russian rule

Proclamation of independence act. Riga,November 18, 1918.

Forced collectivisation in Latvia. Single house farm being pulled to

the collective village (kolhoz) in 1951.

People's manifestation for independenceon January 14, 1991.

LithuaniaLithuania

Inside the Church of St Peter & St Paul

One of buildings in Vilnius waiting for reconstruction.

LithuaniaLithuania

LithuaniaLithuania

The Gedraiciai monument to the fallen heroes of the war with Poland was so sturdily built that the Soviets could not manage to

dismantle it during their occupation. 

LithuaniaLithuania

Old KGB Headquarters

Once a synagogue, the KGB HQ was selected

for the gruesome acts of torture that were performed there

because its thick walls muffled the screams of

the interrogators' victims. 

The walls of this building now are

covered with photos of mutilated bodies from the KGB's own files. 

The wooden sculpture in this picture was carved

by a man who, as a young child, was forced

to sit on his father's corpse while being

interrogated. 

ISOLATIONISMISOLATIONISM COMINTERN COMINTERN Communist Communist

InternationalInternational

• Some Bolsheviks hoped to Some Bolsheviks hoped to help promote the help promote the communist revolution in communist revolution in other countriesother countries

• Set up Comintern in 1919Set up Comintern in 1919• To encourage the spread To encourage the spread

of revolution and of revolution and communism in the worldcommunism in the world

• Received little support Received little support from Russia’s new leadersfrom Russia’s new leaders

COMINTERNCOMINTERN

RECOGNISING THE NEW BOLSHEVIK GOVERNMENT

• Russia – the world’s first communist Russia – the world’s first communist statestate

• When the Bolsheviks won the civil wars, When the Bolsheviks won the civil wars, Lenin sought to improve relations with Lenin sought to improve relations with other countriesother countries

• With better relations, it was less likely With better relations, it was less likely that they will interfere in Russia’s that they will interfere in Russia’s internal affairsinternal affairs

RECOGNISING THE NEW BOLSHEVIK GOVERNMENT

• Most governments disliked it and were Most governments disliked it and were suspicious of its intentionssuspicious of its intentions– First they tried to defeat it by supporting the First they tried to defeat it by supporting the

Whites in the civil warWhites in the civil war– Then they ignored it when that failedThen they ignored it when that failed

• Russia was not invited to the peace talks with Germany• Russia was not asked to join the League of Nations

– Finally Britain recognised the Bolshevik Finally Britain recognised the Bolshevik government as the legal government of Russiagovernment as the legal government of Russia

– France, Italy and others soon followedFrance, Italy and others soon followed– Exchange of ambassadors; treaties were signedExchange of ambassadors; treaties were signed

RELATIONS WITH GERMANY

Germany wants revenge and we want revolution. For the

moment our aims are the same . . . but when our ways part, they

will be our most ferocious enemies. Time will tell whether

a German hegemony or a Communist federation is to

arise out of the ruins of Europe.

• Best relations with GermanyBest relations with Germany• Shared similar characteristicsShared similar characteristics

• Isolated and criticized by the international Isolated and criticized by the international communitycommunity

• Russia – communism; Germany - WWIRussia – communism; Germany - WWI• Bad terms with Britain and FranceBad terms with Britain and France

• Gave them something in commonGave them something in common• 1922 : Treaty of Rapallo1922 : Treaty of Rapallo

• Promised to be on friendly terms with each Promised to be on friendly terms with each otherother

• Lasted for much for the 1920sLasted for much for the 1920s

RELATIONS WITH GERMANY

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Information and image sources– Moreira J., World in Transition – Perspectives on

Modern World History, Singapore : SNP Education Pte Ltd, 2000.

– Kelly N. and Shuter J., As It Was Lived – A History of the Modern World, Singapore : Pearson Education Asia Pte Ltd, 2000.

– Lim S H, Tham Y P, Wang Z and Yeo L, Inroads – Modern World History, Singapore : Oxford University Press, 2000.

– Tate N., A History of the Modern World, Singapore : Federal Publications, 1995.