Question 5

What was the attitude of the Soviet Union to German expansion after 1935?

Paragraph One

• Hitler came to power 1933 – USSR changed its policy of cooperation with Germany
• Main element of Stalin’s Foreign Policy now – fear of Fascism (especially in its German form, Nazism) the declared enemy of communism
• 1934 USSR joined League
• 1935 alliances with France and Czech
• Soviets needed time to catch up with West (5 Year Plans)
• 1934 Purges – ¾ of senior army officers executed plus disruption of industry and agriculture – Stalin had to buy time
• 1935 Soviets launched the Popular Front to encourage all communist parties and groups in Europe to cooperate with other political parties who were anti-Fascist
• Worried about Anti-Comintern Pact between Germany and Japan 1936 – Italy joined 1937

Paragraph Two

• Spanish Civil War 1936-9 – helped Republicans but sent only enough help to prevent their defeat – to distract Germany and Italy while he strengthened USSR
• He was paid in gold from Spain’s gold reserves- it helped pay for 5 Year Plans
• Germany grew stronger in late 30s – Stalin saw he’d have to do a deal with Hitler
• 2 reasons for this:
• Great Britain and France main anti-fascist powers in Europe but were non-interventionist in Spanish Civil War
• 1938 Czech crisis they were too willing to make concessions and seemed content to let Nazis expand in central and east Europe – Stalin convinced they couldn’t be relied on as allies against Hitler
• So – August 1939 Non-Aggression Pact USSR and Germany

Paragraph Three

• Although Nazis and Communists hated each other Pact was convenient
• Hitler wouldn’t have to fight war on 2 fronts if Great Britain and France intervened when he attacked Poland
• Keeping USSR out of war allowed more time to continue strengthening the country
• AJP Taylor said ‘Soviet policy in 1939 aimed to keep Europe out of Russia’
• Stalin hoped a war between Germany and Great Britain and France would weaken them so he could take advantage
• Also Russia gained territory – 1939 Eastern Poland, 1940 Baltic states and part of Finland – provided buffer zone, industry, populations and farm land to add to Soviet strength
• Didn’t work out the way Stalin hoped – Hitler quickly beat his enemies
• June 1941 invaded Russia