Foreign policy of the USSR in the 20-30s of the 20th century

The formation of the young Soviet state was rather difficult and long. In many respects this was due to the fact that the international community was not too quick to recognize it. In such conditions, the foreign policy of the USSR in the 20-30s of the 20th century was characterized by rigidity and consistency, since many problems had to be solved.

The main tasks facing diplomats

As we said, the main task was to normalize relations with other countries. But the foreign policy of the USSR in the 1920s and 1930s also implied the export of revolutionary ideas to other states. However, the romantic ideals of the revolution were quickly cooled by reality. Realizing the unreality of some ideas, the government of the newly-made country quickly switched to more realistic tasks.

First achievements

At the very beginning of the twentieth century, a truly remarkable event took place: the USSR achieved a complete lifting of the trade blockade, which was very painful for the country's economy, and was already severely weakened. A very important role was played by the Decree on Concessions, which was issued on November 23, 1920.

In principle, immediately after the signing of all trade agreements with Great Britain, Kaiser Germany and other countries, diplomats actually achieved unofficial recognition of the USSR throughout the world. The official stretched from 1924 to 1933. Especially successful was the 1924th, when it was possible to renew relations with more than three dozen foreign states.

This was the foreign policy of the USSR in the 1920s and 1930s. In short, it was possible to reorient the economy to the industrial sector, as the country began to receive in sufficient quantities of raw materials and technology.

The first Soviet diplomats

The first foreign ministers, thanks to which such a breakthrough became possible, were Chicherin and Litvinov. These brilliant diplomats, who received their education as far back as Tsarist Russia, became a true "bridge" between the young USSR and the rest of the world. They conducted the foreign policy of the USSR in the 20-30 years of the 20th century.

They have achieved the signing of a trade agreement with England, as well as other European powers. Accordingly, it is to them that the Soviet Union is obliged to lift the trade and economic blockade that hampered the normal development of the country.

New deterioration in relations

But the foreign policy of the USSR in the 1920s and 1930s knew not only victories. Approximately in the early thirties a new round of deterioration of relations with the Western world began. This time the pretext was that the government of the USSR officially supported the national movement in China. With England, however, relations were virtually broken because the country sympathized with the striking English workers. It got to the point that Vatican leaders openly called for the "Crusade" against the Soviet Union.

Not surprisingly, the foreign policy of the USSR in the 20-30-ies. XX century. Was extremely cautious: you could not give the slightest reason for aggression.

Relations with Nazi Germany

Do not assume that the Soviet leadership led some inadequate, disproportionate time policy. Just the same time the government of the USSR differed in those years with rare sanity. So, right after 1933, when a party of National Socialists came to power in Germany, it was the Soviet Union that began actively insisting on the creation of a collective European security system. All the efforts of diplomats were traditionally ignored by the leaders of European powers.

An attempt to stop Hitler's aggression

In 1934 another event occurred, which the country had been waiting for for a long time. The USSR was finally accepted into the League of Nations, which was the ancestor of the United Nations. Already in 1935 an allied treaty was concluded with France, which provided for friendly mutual assistance in case of an attack on someone from the allies. Hitler immediately responded to the capture of the Rhineland. Already in 1936 the process of de facto aggression of the Reich against Italy and Spain began.

Of course, the political forces in the country understood what all this threatens, and therefore the foreign policy of the USSR in the 1920s and 1930s began to undergo serious changes again. The sending of equipment and specialists for confrontation with the Nazis began. This is how the procession of fascism across Europe was marked, and the leaders of the European powers practically did not oppose it.

Further aggravation of the situation

The fears of Soviet politicians were fully confirmed when, in 1938, Hitler produced the "Anschluss" of Austria. In September of the same year, the Munich Conference was held, attended by representatives of Germany, Britain and other countries.

No one was surprised that, following its results, the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia was unanimously placed under the authority of the Third Reich. The Soviet Union was almost the only country that openly condemned the fact of Hitler's undisguised aggression. Only a year later, under his authority, not only the whole of Czechoslovakia, but also Poland.

The situation was complicated by the fact that the situation in the Far East worsened continuously. In 1938 and 1939, parts of the Red Army entered into fire contact with the Japanese Kwantung Army. These were the famous Khasan and Khalkin-Gol battle. Also, military operations were conducted on Mongolian territory. Mikado believed that the heir to tsarist Russia, in the person of the USSR, retained all the weaknesses of his predecessor, but greatly miscalculated: Japan was defeated, having to make significant territorial concessions.

Diplomatic relations with Germany

After Stalin at least three times tried to agree on the creation of an unfortunate European security system, the leadership of the USSR was forced to establish diplomatic relations with Nazi Germany. At the present time, Western historians vying to convince the world of the aggressive intentions of the Soviet Union, but its true purpose was simple. The country tried to secure its borders from the attack, compelled to negotiate with a likely adversary.

Agreements with the Reich

In the middle of 1939 the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was signed. Under the terms of the secret part of the document, Germany received Western Poland, and the USSR was given to Finland, the Baltic states, Eastern Poland, most of present-day Ukraine. Normalized before that relationship with England and France were completely spoiled.

In late September 1938, the politicians of the USSR and Germany signed an agreement on friendship and borders. How can we better understand the goals pursued by the USSR's foreign policy in the 1920s and 1930s? The table below will help you with this.

This is what characterized the foreign policy of the USSR in the 20-30 years.