1. AICE International History Text pages 59-61
Problems in Europe

2. The USSR and Europe
For the first three years after the Bolsheviks came to power relations between the new government and the western countries deteriorated to the point of open war
Mainly because Bolsheviks tried to spread the revolution further
Especially into Germany
Floods of propaganda into Germany to turn them against their capitalist masters

3. The USSR and Europe
Lenin called representatives from communist parties all over the world to a conference in Moscow in March 1919
Third International – Comintern
Bring the world’s communists under Russian leadership
Teach how to organize strikes and uprisings
“in a year the whole of Europe will be communist”

4. The USSR and Europe
Britain, France, US, Czechoslovakia, Japan supported the Mensheviks (Whites) in the civil war against the Bolsheviks (Reds) because of fear of communism
Not invited to Versailles
Insistence by France

5. The USSR and Europe
By the middle of 1920, Britain, France, US, Czechoslovakia, and Japan admitted failure and withdrew troops from Russia
Communist revolutions in Germany and Hungary had failed
Russia exhausted by civil war
Lenin acknowledged Russia needed peaceful coexistence and cooperation from capitalists

6. USSR and Britain
Britain was suspicious of Russia’s communist government, but did want to trade
Britain was one of the first to formally recognize Russia’s new Bolshevik government: Anglo- Russian trade treaty in 1921
Genoa Conference (1922) suggested that Bolsheviks pay war debts

7. USSR and Britain
Relations improved in with full diplomatic recognition
New trade treaty signed
Loan proposed
From relations soured when Brits claimed to have found evidence of Russians plotting with British communists to overthrow government

8. USSR and Britain
1929 diplomatic relations improved and trade agreement signed in 1930
In 1932 trade agreement cancelled
In retaliation, Russia arrested engineers working in Moscow
British placed embargo on imports from Russia
Stalin nervous about Hitler so began to try to improve relations with Britain

9. USSR and Germany
Both were viewed as outcasts in Europe after World War I
Treaty of Rapallo (1921)
Established relations and trade agreements between the two countries
France and Poland were uncomfortable with the treaty
Lasts until 1930s when Nazi’s rise in Germany
Nazi’s don’t like communism

10. USSR and France
French were particularly resentful of Bolsheviks – Treaty of Brest- Litovsk ended Franco-Russian alliance
Threat of revolution in France was very realistic
France was the one who refused to allow Russia in peace talks
Did not become friendly again until the 1930s when Nazi’s were in the rise in Germany