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Lenin's aims + methods
-peace in WW1
-survival/security of Communist state
-spread World Revolution
-Communist state isolated from rest of the world
-pragmatist-twin track-combined revolutionary goals w/ pursuing diplomatic links w/ countries he sought to destroy -
Isolation of the First Communist State
-after October Revolution + Decree of Peace-USSR in isolated state-recurring theme over 20 years
-surrender seen as betrayal by allies
-murder of Tsar + family horrified nations of Western EU-anger compounded by seizure of all Western assests by new Communist gov
-Lenin's commitment to WR
-USSR outcast of EU
-In Civil War-foreign armies helped Whites fight Reds
-exclusion of peace conf at Versailles
-exclusion from League of Nations
-non recognition of USSR -
Motives + Aims for West govs
-deep hostility-ideological-evident in intervention of Civil War
-"USSR strangled in the crib"-Churchil-due to WR
-Wilson's 14 points-self determination-Lenin preached WR + ignored Russian foreign debts + nationalised all businesses in USSR,including those owned by foreigners-hostility
-1921 + more prepared to accommodate USSR-no common Western response-differences from Br, Ger + USA -
Period: to
Civil war + foreign intervention
-USSR vulnerable position
-Whites=Br, Fr + USA + JP intervention, Br 100,000 rifles
-no taste for communism -
Decree of Peace
-leaving war, rapidly deteriorating under threat from Ger, on brink of civil war
-West saw surrender as betrayal, anger compounded by seizure of all Western assests by Communist gov + USSR not paying back reparations -
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
-62 million people lost=16% of population
-Estonia, Latvia + Lithuania independent republics
-27% farm land, 26% railway lines, 74% iron ore + coal reserves
-Georgia + Ukraine semi-independent govs
-justified that they'd gain lands back on ideological grounds
-hesitation caused Germans to advance further + more severe demands
-"matierally exhausted" , "breathing space to recuperate", "shall renew the fight" -
Reasons for foreign intervention in Civil War
-30,000 Br + USA took control of ports Murmansk + Archangel
-foreign forces remained on Russian soil after conclusion on WW1
-Br troops in S Russia + Fr in Odessa- countries seeking independence like Poland, Czech + Romania
-whites w/ 100,000 rifles from Br + 200,000 from US
-West contributed little to no fighting + efforts not co-ordinated
-1920 forces recalled-half-hearted
-security fears prompted intervention -
Comintern creation
-spread world revolution, Zinoviev president
-somewhat successful, Bela Kun uprising in Hungary + Spartacists in Berlin
-appeal to workes of all countries to support Soviet regime by all available means, if necessary, revolutionary means
-parties organised on Leninist principles of centralisation + discipline-Br + Sp demanded freedom-was denied
-had to prepare for civil war -
Response + methods from W govs
-highly alarmed
-worried Comintern + Communism would prove attractive to working classes after WW1 when there were poor economic conditions
-ideological beliefs of Marzism were that Communist countries should aim to be self-sufficient-negative impact on trade -
Russo-Polish War
-paralell to civil war
-Poland saw chaos as a chance to regain territory
-Lenin chose to fight Poles after pushing them out of Russia-Red Bridge into Europe
-failure to capture Warsaw- turning point to Twin Track approach and Peaceful Co-existence
-harsh Treaty of Riga 1921
-main aim to divide imperialist countries + prevent from forming capitalist bloc against USSR -
Paris Peace conference
-USSR not invited by West -
Anglo-Soviet Trade Agreement
-Conservative gov in Br turned Labour, more willing to work w/ Soviets
-1924 Anglo-Soviet General Treaty + Commercial Agreement-never happened, £30m loan
-West aims: isolate USSR, acting in self interests, Churchill : "strangle in the crib" -
Influence of ideological + economic factors on Soviet Foreign Policy - TWIN TRACK
-Lenin "propagation of revolution is victory"-revolution succeeded but wasn't finished + wanted worldwide revo
-established Comintern + supported Comm revolts in Ger + Hung
-1922-trade w/ capitalist countries necessary-countries being less aggressive + economic benefits
-USSR needed trade-major shortages of supplies + weapons, shortages of raw meat + finished goods,underdeveloped railway-no cope,relied on peasants for farming,backwards way-fall in production + shortage of men, inflation ^ 200% -
Economic trade agreements w/ USSR + Ger
-Anglo-Russian Trade Agreement 1921
-Anglo-Soviet General Treaty + Commercial Agreement 1924
-support for Franco-Soviet economic co-operation 1922 -
Genoa Conference
-first conference USSR + Ger accepted to
-West offered credit + laons but rejected bc of settlement of Tsarist debts + restoration of Western Assests
-USSR tried to develop relations to reduce isolation -
Security Fears of USSR
-fear of invasion-frontier NW + W 3200km+, lacked natural boundaries-fear of capitalist states-military aggression justified for 5 yr plans
-economic backwardness-technological inferiority-need for W help
-othordox Marxism need for revolution home + abroad-threatened West ideological differences -Comintern + foreign intervention in CW-mistrust
-state of country at end of CW, power struggle to succeed Lenin, 5 yr plans + collectivisation -
Influence of political/ideological/economic factors on W govs
-huge amount of hostility from W govs towards USSR
-Civil War + exclusion from Treaty of Versailles negotiations + diplomatic isolation illustrate hostility
-USSR advocated different political system-government for people rather than democracy central, press subject to strict control
-emphasis on state control + abolition of religion -sharp contrast to W
-West remained suspicous -
Treaty of Rapallo
-secret treaty between Ger + USSR, pariahs of EU
-German officers trained Red army in tank warfare + military aviation
-Ger army able to train + experiment w/ weapons forbidden by TofV=tanks, aircraft + gas)
-long term loans to USSR
-USSR supplied markets for Ger heavy industry- 47% of Russian imports came from Ger
-5 yrs neutrality
-temporary good measure-both countries will become enemies-power hungry -
League of Nations
-denied and not allowed entrance -
Degree of Success for W govs
-tried to diplomatically isolate USSR
-couldn't keep that policy, trade w/ USSR -
Official Recognition
-Br, It + Fr gave USSR official recognition