a level clash of ideologies soviet foreign policy

CLASH OF IDEAOLOGIES ― CONSISTENSTY AS A FOCUS

(how far would you agree that soviet foreign policy was mostly a reaction to international events)

VLADIMIR LENIN  →

• TREATY OF RIGA

• Lenin made this peace as he had not foreseen the Bolsheviks being beaten in their invasion of Poland; this was an inconsistent policy move.

• “A bad peace was cheaper than a prolongation of war.” – Lenin

• “Lenin acknowledged that his predictions of a swift world revolution had not been justified. Hence a period of internal consolidation had now to be the most urgent priority.” – Lee

• TREATY OF RAPALLO

• The fact that this treaty was signed shows that Lenin was not above setting aside ideology when in times of trade crisis and as a reaction to the rest of the world being “hostile” to communists and refusing to trade.

•  “Unconditionally necessary.” – Lenin

• “He adopted an essentially realistic approach.” – Lynch

JOSEPH STALIN  → Stalin’s foreign policy was dominated by the frenzied international situation and his foreign policy is best defined as unplanned reactions to world events.

• COLLECTIVE SECURITY – this was entirely a reaction to the international situation as Stalin was fighting fascism.

• League of Nations – This shows that Stalin was willing to set aside ideology and his prior concerns for SFP (i.e economic reconstruction) in reaction to world events and the emerging power of the Nazis.

• Mutual Assistance Pacts – Again Stalin showed that he could set aside his own goals for foreign policy in light of recent events.

• Left turn of the Comintern – Although Stalin did not approve of the Comintern; he was willing to use it to support populist governments in other countries in order to stop fascism.

• “Social fascists” – Stalin

• “Stalin’s cold-blooded realism in foreign affairs was unaccompanied by any lingering ideological compunctions.” – Ulam

• “In the 1930s Stalin’s foreign policy was designed to avoid confrontation and maintain Soviet security.” – Baker

• NAZI-SOVIET PACT

• This move especially shows that the majority of Stalin’s foreign policy was a reaction to recent international situations as this pact was only agreed due to the Munich Conference when Stalin realised the West would not consider him an ally.

• “The Nazi-Soviet Pact was the most opportunistic and pragmatic agreement of the century.” – Lee

• “Once again he set aside all principles in desperation to save the USSR from war.” – Ward

• MARRIAGE OF CONVIENCE

• Once again, Stalin makes a foreign policy move as a reaction to international events as he had just been invaded.

• “Stalin, even more then Lenin, understood that it was counterproductive to try to overthrow another government whose cooperation was useful to economic development and security in a hostile world.” – Hoffman

• ESTABLISHEMENT OF THE BUFFER ZONE

• [see historical debate at the end]

• Stalin once again bases his foreign policy on international events as he had previously not been internationally minded at the start of his rule. However, here Stalin used expansionism as a…