-
Stalin's change of policy
-faced with political isolation
-exclusion from Four Power Pact 1933 (Br, Fr, GEr + IT)
-Japanese aggression a threat
-COLLECTIVE SECURITY-ensuring peace by collaborating with other states + strengthening relations, while preparing to resist those against peace -
Motives + Aims of West govs
-rise of Nazism would change aims of countries who had been opposed to USSR since 1917
-some keen to develop links w/ USSR to provide bulwark against Fascism -
Membership of League of Nations
-hoped it could be an effective body
-denounced appeasement towards Germany as suicidal + urged League to act decisively to stop German aggression
-stop appeasement
-improve relations w/ West -
Response of West govs to USSR
-acceptance of League of Nations in 1934 of USSR-integrating into world community-ideological hostility lessened + replaced by pragmatism
-mutual assistance pacts established w/ Fr, Czech + USSR-alliances against Fascist threat- Fr + Czech worry abt danger from Nazi Germany (Alsace Lorraine + Sudetenland)
-Br w/ Conservative gov + separated by channel reluctant working w/ USSR -
Alliances w/ France + Czechoslovakia
-pursuit of collective security, Litvinov
-mutual assistance pacts
-USSR pledged to help Cz only if France also fought
-hoped agreement would help deter Hitler from going to war
-USSR believed pacts wouldn't hold, short term solution, not reliant on foreign powers to develop Red Army -
Hitler's attitude towards the USSR
-"all I do, I do against the Soviet Union"
-ideological differences-believed Communism was Jewish-inspired and Jewish-led movement seeking world domination
-Nazi movement to destroy "Jewish Bolshevism"
-10 year Non-agression pact, Poland and Germany=strong security threat
-Hitler's refusal to sign a mutual guarantee of frontiers as per requested by the USSR
-Anti Comintern Pact 1936-Germany + Japan, later Italy-keep each other informed of the Comintern-led Stalin to collective security -
Failure of League of Nations + Collective Security
-little chance of success-EU's two most powerful states Br + Fr were not prepared to risk war to uphold principle-without their participation it wouldn't work
-Britain was determined on their policy of appeasement, believing they could deal w/ Hitlers demands
-League condemned Italian invasion of Abyssinia but gave 2/3rds of it to Musso to avoid confrontation
-Br + Fr protested at German reoccupation of Rhineland-breach of TofV-but made no military moves-showed they didn't want collective secur -
Different attitudes towards USSR from democratic states + right-wing
-Mussolini sided w/ Hitler, but opposition to Communism not identical-not such a fervent anti-Semite
-10 year Non-Aggression Pact w/ Poland + Germany-strong security threat to USSR west borders-compounded by Hitler's refusal to sign mutual guarantee of frontiers requested by USSR
-German + Italian involvement in Span Civil War on Franco's side
-Anti-Comintern Pact 1936- Germany, Japan + Italy-keep each other informed of Comintern activities-aimed at USSR, pushed Stalin to collective security -
Period: to
Spanish Civil War: Impact on relations
-successful outcome for Nationalists under Franco strengthened relationship between Hitler + Mussolini
-Stalin regarded failure of Br + Fr to intervene in conflict as a further sign of weakness and lack of resolve
-While USSR was on losing side, intervention delayed victory of Nationalists until March 1939 + received international prestige -
Period: to
Spanish Civil War
Reasons for involvement:
-fears for security, concerned swift victory for Nationalists would boost Fascism, increase likelihood of Nazis attacking USSR-didn't want to jeopardise relations w/ BR + Fr=potential of anti-Communist pact w/ Br, Fr + Ger if Spain ended up Communist
-didn't provide military aid until received gold=value of $500m, also received large quantity of raw materials
-suppporting left-wing gov
-chance to try new weapons
-distract attention from purges
-only country defending -
Soviet reactions to Munich Agreement
-Litvinov's collective security rejected by Britain
-not offered a seat-Britain committed to appeasement
-1939 Chamberlain British PM spoke of his profound distrust of Russia
-formal alliance proposals rejected by Br + Fr
-Litvinov dismissed May 1939 -
Appeasement policy of Br + Fr
-League of Nations condemned Italian invasion of Abyssinia but gave 2/3rds to M to avoid confrontation
-Br + Fr protested at German reoccupation of Rhineland (breach of TofV) but made no military moves
-Chamberlain loathed war, Hitler "bully of Europe", wanted diplomatic resolution
-Munich Agreement-Sudetenland given to Germany
-Nazi takeover of Cz in March 1939-broken Munich, USSR alliance w/ Cz,Chamberlain still reluctant,distrusted Stalin, no desire to ally
-Red Army lacked capacity -
Soviet aid w/ Spanish Civil War
-encouraging anti-Fascist popular fronts-support for Republican forces
-aid was indirect + run through Comintern, Black Sea port of Odessa
-650 planes, 400 tanks, 18,000 machine guns (antique w/ little ammunition) -
Nazi-Soviet Pact
-10 yr non-aggression pact which guaranteed USSR period of peace to strengthen Red Army-Great Purge of 1937-38, officers needed time
-USSR would gain control of eastern Poland + sphere of inf in Baltic recognised by Ger(Bessarabia, Latvia, Lithu + Estonia), Br + Fr couldn't intervene
-Impose Communism on EU, West + Nazis fight to a standstill, "EU is bled white"
-Ger motives, ensured war not on two fronts,short term setting aside ideology for security
-secret clause-dividing Poland between them -
Nazi-Soviet Pact responses
-Br-signed Polish-British Common Defence Pact 25 Aug to defend
-Italy-Pact of Steel May 1939,commitment to support Ger even if they were first aggressors, M failed to honour agreement + remained neutral in 1939
-Fr-co-operated closely w/ Br, declared war on Ger with Br
-USA-remained neutral,sympathy for Br-Neutrality Act Nov 1939, provide Br military aid-Aug 1940 loaned 50 old destroyers, March 1941 Lend-Lease Act, 50 billion for countries in war against Axis powers, Br 31 billion dollars -
Western Attitude to Nazi-Soviet Pact
-Chamberlain under considerable pressure from Fr, press, Parliament + cabinet to establish closer relations w/ USSR
-Lloyd George:"without the help of Russia...trap"
-"bombshell in London", Chamberlain widely criticised for inability to securer agreement
-Poland was implacably hostile to a deal w/ Stalin
-what Hitler could offer USSR was much more tempting
-war inevitable -
Hitler invade Soviet Union
-deeply hostile to Communism + Russian slavs considered inferior
-futher Lebensraum for Ger
-better to attack USSR before Red Army invaded Ger
-knew of Japan's plan to attack USA-preventing Stalin being involved in Pacifc
-initial reaction of Stalin-refused to speak-first week German forces overran USSR w/out effective leadership
-turned to Br + USA for allies