For Those Interested

[AggieDave 6]

Here's the final rough draft of the research paper I've been working on. Still needs some polishing and I have to go back through and mark all my quotes, do all my source citing, etc. Eitherway, you'll get a real nice idea of what the paper is about. I am very disappointed, though, I started cleaning up a lot of the BS that didn't need to be in it, like some stuff about Trotsky and Molotov, and some other stuff and my paper went from about 25 pages to 13 pages. Oh-well, atleast now it is direct and concise.

Well, here ya go:

Quote

Stalinism and Hitler


Stalin’s foreign policy leading up to the war between Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia had a direct impact on the timing and outcome of the war between the two countries, as well as the rest of the western world; moreover, had a different person been in power over Soviet Russia during this period, specifically Lenin, the series of events leading up to the war as well as the treaties before the war would have been different.
The period following Lenin’s death saw Soviet Russia take a sharp turn in the foreign policy adopted by the state. Joseph Stalin, heading the state, turned the Party’s focus inward, to try to bring Russia up to a modern, industrialized country. This, being a daunting task, required the full attention of Stalin; moreover, after years of waiting, the world revolution that was once envisioned by the upper echelon of the Bolshevik party had not come, nor did it appear to be on the horizon in Western Europe. With these reasons, Stalin focused his attention towards planning the rapid industrialization of Russia and into socializing agriculture. With the Five-Year Plan, he did not focus on the Comintern and the drive towards world revolution. After years of being headed by the Bolshevik leader, the Comintern was now delegated to a party underling, figuratively speaking, to organize Communist parties around the globe.
Stalin’s interest in Western Europe was merely a financial one. The Five-Year Plan required large amounts of capital to purchase the goods and machinery that was needed to create an industrialize infrastructure. Overwhelmingly, the only viable good that Russia had for the global market was its vast amounts of farmland and the grain it produced. Thus, Stalin’s foreign policy was focused around selling this grain as well as Russia’s other natural resources to those who would purchase them. These natural resources is what brought Stalin and Hitler into accordance before the invasion of Russia by Nazi Germany. Hitler’s war machine, rearming then the beginnings of World War II required large amounts of raw materials, which was obtained by negotiations with Russia. These goods feed the machine that brought Hitler and Nazi Germany into military dominance in Europe. The purchase of raw material from Russia also gave Stalin the capital he desperately needed to make the industrialization of Russia a reality.
The leader of the October Revolution and the theological leader of Soviet Russia, Lenin, had a very international view to his foreign policy. The dream he shared with his Bolshevik followers, was that world revolution would come. The oppressed workers would rise, overthrowing their Capitalist governments. From the beginnings of the Socialist movement in Russia and Lenin’s exile to Germany, his dream was to spur a world revolution by starting with his homeland, Russia.
The Comintern was created by Lenin, connecting socialist parties around the globe with Soviet Russia, to give guidance and as much help as possible, to incite a world revolution. This was personally headed by Lenin, overseeing all aspects of its operation. Unlike Stalin, Lenin was concerned with bringing the rest of the world into socialist power, to then industrialize Russia with Western Europe’s industrialized resources. This was not realized, though, since the world revolution never came. Eventually, Lenin’s focus turned slightly inward to try to bring Soviet Russia up on to its feet, economically speaking. Even to his deathbed, Lenin’s focus was on the world, to bring the socialist world revolution to a reality.
During the years after the First World War, Adolf Hitler had already formed the concrete values of his political beliefs. Even in his adolescence, prior to WWI, young Hitler was learning politics of old Austria. Present were three major political parties, the Social Democrats, the Christian Socialists and the Pan-German Nationalists. After a single encounter with the Social Democrats, Hitler despised the party, their political beliefs and the personally the people in the party. For him, Austria had only one saving grace, that the Germans would once again rise and take over Austria, letting what he called the Master Race rule with absolutism. Most detested of the Social Democrats were their hostile attitude towards the struggle for the preservation of what Hitler called “Germanism” and what he considered to be the disgraceful courting of other Social Democrats from other nations, especially Slavic Social Democrats. Even now, prior to WWI, prior to any Social Democratic revolution, Hitler held Marxism in contempt and hatred. Although, Hitler did learn some valuable political lessons from the Social Democrats, they had three valuable tools used to control people: They knew how to create a mass movement, without which any political party was useless; they had learned the art of propaganda among the masses; and, finally, they knew the value of using what he called “spiritual and physical terror.” Seeing this, Hitler aligned himself with the Pan-German Nationalist Party, who at the time were engaged in a last ditch effort for German supremacy in that (Austria) multinational empire. In this political party, Hitler found the basic beliefs of Georg Ritter von Schoenerer (the party’s founder and leader), who’s political stance embraced a basic program of violent nationalism, anti-Semitism, anti-socialism and union with Germany. This gives us a clear window into the basis for the political ideals for the basic foundation of Hitler’s foreign policy with Soviet Russia after his (and his party’s) rise to power over German in 1933.
The basic belief of anti-Semitism and hatred towards Socialism [Marxism], gives through to Hitler’s dealings with the Soviet leadership. Also, this proves conflict with the Soviet Comintern’s offices and practices in pre-Nazi Germany and Nazi controlled Germany. Although these beliefs were founded solidly in Hitler’s political actions, he also understood the power and destructive capabilities of the Red Army if provoked into war. This would shape his pre-war diplomacy with Stalin and Soviet Russia.

Seething over the strict control over Germany after the defeat had at the end of World War I, Hitler set forth to create a military state that would give Nazi Germany the power and economy to pull the country from the ruins of economic despair; moreover, his country would have the ability to reclaim the land lost from the Treaty of Versailles Hitler’s Germany had begun purchasing raw materials from Soviet Russia shortly after the rise to power of the Nazi party in 1933, material needed to rebuild their still war torn country and begin the reconstruction of their once mighty military. These economic relations would set the tone for further negotiations in late summer of 1939. Planning to launch an invasion of Poland by September of that year, Hitler gave the nod to begin the diplomatic process to ensure that Soviet Russia wouldn’t declare war on this act of aggression towards a country that was disputed property between the two nations. Although Hitler still despised Soviet Russia, its foundation in Marxism and its government based on Leninism, the German Chancellor understood all that could be lost by not finding a truce between Germany and Soviet Russia. With that, Hitler gave word to his Foreign Minister, Ribbentrop, to begin the formal process of diplomacy to create a non-aggression pact. This move was purely a preplanned chess move on the stage of Europe for Hitler, understanding that Nazi Germany would not survive a two front war. Furthermore, Hitler assumed that France and Britain would not strike out against Germany for invading Poland. However, his assumption proved wrong, in a few short months.
Beginning with a telegram to Moscow from Ribbentrop sent August 14 at 10:53 P.M., it directed the German ambassador to call upon Molotov and to read the long transmission to him verbatim. This was Hitler’s great bid to attempt to save his country from a possible two front war. Ribbentrop wrote “come to a historic turning point…There exist no real conflicts of interests between Germany and Russia…It has gone well with both countries previously when they were friends and badly when they were enemies.” The telegram continued, eventually suggesting and almost demanding that Ribbentrop was prepared to make a short trip to Moscow, “in the name of the Fuehrer” to shorten the amount of time used when conducting diplomacy through normal diplomatic channels. This impressed the ever suspicious Stalin, especially since in the months previous the British Foreign Secretary had not been willing to go to Moscow. Moreover, following in the telegram, Ribbentrop’s proposal reiterated that “there is no question between the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea which cannot be settled to the complete satisfaction of both countries…[specifically] the Baltic States, Poland, southeastern questions, etc.” This was carefully calculated bait set by Nazi Germany, to lure the Soviet Dictator into stated compromise of non-aggression. Also, knowing that France and Britain could not only offer those condolences, they would not offer them to the socialist country. This would prevent Stalin from forming an alliance with France and Britain and rising up against Nazi Germany. Thus, Adolf Hitler played Stalinism against Stalin and proved successful. For at 9:35 P.M. on August 21, 1939 Stalin sent his reply to Hitler:
“To The Chancellor Of The Terman Reich,
A. Hitler:
I thank you for the letter. I hope that the German-Soviet
nonaggression pact will bring about a decided turn for the better in the political relations between our countries.
The peoples of our countries need peaceful relations with each other. The assent of the German Government to the conclusion of a nonaggression pact provides the foundation for eliminating the political tension and for the establishment of peace and collaboration between our countries.
The Soviet Government have instructed me to inform you that they agree to Herr von Ribbentrop’s arriving in Moscow on August 23.”

The agreeing to the nonaggression pact proved that Stalinism had worked against Stalin, leaving Soviet Russia as uneasy bedfellows to Nazi Germany until the Nazi’s invasion of Russia. Had Stalin not agreed to the nonaggression pact, the war would have started much sooner for Soviet Russia; however, the war would have more then likely ended much sooner and without the United State’s physical involvement. Primarily due to the nonaggression pact, Soviet Russia continued to supply the Nazi war machine with raw materials, allowing the Germany Army to build to the size and ability it did; however, without the capital gained from those sales, Soviet Russia would have had the very difficult task of continuing rebuilding their broken army with even less capital. Had Lenin still been alive and in power then the nonaggression pact would have more then likely not been signed, thus producing a very different outcome for Soviet Russia and the rest of the western world.
The early 1930’s was a time of change in foreign policy for Soviet Russia, political upheaval throughout western Europe was the norm, as Fascists and Communists battled fiercely for political control of countries. Throughout 1933 and 1934 the international organizations of communists and socialists rejected each others’ advances to join their movements to combat the rise of fascism. In 1933, Nazi Germany withdrew from the League of Nations, signaling a change in Germany’s foreign policy. Hitler also backed Mussolini’s invasion of Ethiopia in October of that year, forming the beginning of a consolidation of a Berlin-Rome axis of fascism. 1933 and 1934 were turning points in Soviet foreign diplomacy. In November of 1933 Litvinov traveled to Washington to reach an agreement with the Roosevelt administration to recognize the Soviet Union as a nation; moreover, this was the year that a resolution passed in the Politburo in favor of the policy of collective security. Collective security embodied the ideals of the League of Nations, that nations would act in concert against an aggressor. This, followed by the Soviet Union’s acceptance to the League of Nations, brought about a new era to Soviet foreign diplomacy. Soviet Russia signed a pact of peace with France on May 2, 1935, which was quickly followed by a treaty with Czechoslovakia. The major turn of ideals is that previous to these steps taken, Soviet Russia had denounced those nations recently before these agreements had been signed. The treaty with France and Czechoslovakia were in direct response to the growing fascist nation of Nazi Germany, although this was merely a hollow shell, militarily worthless. France’s acceptance into the pact had no military obligations to Soviet Russia; moreover, the Soviet Union, who was to be called upon to militarily aid France and Czechoslovakia if attacked by an aggressor nation, had no common boarders with either country. Thus, the reality of the treaty is that it could not be fulfilled if acted upon. During the years that followed, up till the nonaggression pact with Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union slowly began aligning with the nations that supported the Versailles treaty, Britain and France, moving away from Germany and Italy (who wanted to over throw the treaty).
Stalin, in the matters of diplomacy with Western capitalist powers shifted away from the directives the Comintern used, pulling a political rift between the Soviet government and the Soviet organization devised to lead the world to a Marxist revolution. This was very Stalinist in nature due to the idea that Stalin was a nationalist, in ward focused trying to solve Soviet Russia’s economic distress; where as, Lenin and Trotsky were outwardly focused. Both Lenin and Trotsky held deep faith in the Comintern, longing for the world revolution that would bring Socialism to all of the Western world and the end to Russia’s economic hardships. This would argue that neither Lenin (if had been alive) or Trotsky (if he had won the power struggle) would have entered into a treaty with France, nor would they have aligned themselves with their capitalist “foes” in Western Europe.
With the budding success of fascism throughout Europe during the 1930s, Soviet Russia found its self responsible for keeping the Communist-arch-rival from gaining power throughout Europe. The defeat of the Spanish Republic and the triumph of Franco’s own version of fascism in 1939, gave Stalin a political wake-up call, especially in regards to diplomacy used with the fascist nation Germany. Loosing Spain to fascism, after giving military aid and sending advisor, left the USSR wedged in a political hot zone. Caught between a hostile Germany, Japan and the Western capitalist countries who did not trust Soviet Russia, Stalin was left with little choice but to agree to the nonaggression pact when it was proposed later in that year. Stalin had hoped that by signing an agreement with Germany, Hitler would be able to lay to rest the tension between Soviet Russia and Imperialist Japan. Stalin’s foreign policy goal during this time was based far more on the power politics of nations vying for advantage in a very chaotic Europe then continuing on Lenin’s dream of revolutionary expansion. Stalin’s main purpose was to preserve the USSR and enhance its prestige, power and influence. This was put to the test in 1936 with the signing of an agreement between Italy and Japan, effectively forming an anti-Comintern, anti-Soviet alliance.
Litvinov was replaced by Stalin as foreign commissar by Molotov, seemingly allowing the change necessary to release Russia from the policy of collective security to reach an agreement with Hitler’s Germany. Allowing this change gave way to the nonaggression pact on August 23rd of that year. Although this pact stunned the world as well as Politburo members, Stalin informed them that he “[knew] what Hitler’s up to…He thinks he’s outsmarted me, but actually it’s I who have tricked him.” Stating that Soviet Russia would be able to stay neutral and continue to build their military for the impending war. Although there was a time delay between the nonaggression pact and the on vent of war between Soviet Russia and Germany, Stalin did not use this time as well as he should have. By allying with Germany in 1939, Stalin allowed Hitler’s army to effectively destroy the Western power’s chance at initially surviving the war, giving the Nazi’s the opportunity to launch a devastating one-front war against the Soviet Union. Although there was time to build for a war against Germany, Stalin’s pact with Germany ultimately nearly doomed the struggling Socialist power. The pact that was thought to save Soviet Russia, nearly doomed her.
Lenin’s differing views of foreign diplomacy from Stalin, would have kept Soviet Russia out of the nonaggression pact, leaving them to enter into a war-time alliance with the Western European Capitalist nations in order to quickly destroy Nazi Germany. Thus the Stalinism of Stalin’s foreign diplomacy nearly doomed Soviet Russia, as well as Western Europe to Hitler’s fate.
Vladimir Lenin’s great dream was that Western Europe’s proletariat would rise and over throw their governments shortly after seeing the success of a Socialist revolution in Russia. Nearly to the every day until the day he died, Lenin believed that day could and would bring the long awaited Socialist revolution; however, this of course did not happen. To help promote world revolution, Lenin established and oversaw the creation of the Comintern, which was the world extension of Lenin-Marxism. Created in 1919, this began the dual policy of pushing for world revolution, but also courting capitalist society for the goods and materials needed to rebuild war ravaged Russia. Soviet Russia also desperately tried to make ties with the governments of Britain and France, to have at least on of those counties on the side Soviet Russia in terms of trade. This was merely to keep the two countries from forming an anti-Soviet pact, denying Russia the material and capital so desperately needed to rebuild the country.
Despite the strange and strained relations with France following the first World War and Russia’s Civil War, Lenin’s foreign policy would have differed fairly widely from Stalin’s; furthermore, Lenin’s foreign policy would have put Soviet Russia in the second war against Germany, allied with France and Britain far sooner then what happened under Stalin. Lenin would have seen the dramatic rise of fascism as a direct threat to Marxism, a far greater threat then capitalism. Thus, Lenin would have taken a few different steps. Firstly, the military support to Spain during the fascist revolution would have been far greater, defeating the fascist rebels, laying way for a new nation ruled by Leninism-Marxism. Also, following the probably success in Spain, Stalin would have seen Nazi Germany in the same light as France and Britain. Thus, opposing the proposals by Hitler and his foreign ministers, Lenin would have seized the opportunity to incite a socialist revolution in Germany by possibly teaming (temporarily) with France and Britain. Following the quick collapse of Nazi Germany during a two front war, Soviet Russia would have claimed a majority of Germany, just as it did after the Second World War.
Stalinism and Stalin’s acceptance of the Non-Aggression Pact caused a catastrophic series of events in Europe, allowing Adolf Hitler to wage war a single front at a time. This single advantage gave Hitler the chance to invade and occupy most of Western Europe, as well as eventually turning against the Non-Aggression Pact and waging war against Soviet Russia. Had Lenin still been alive, he more then likely would not have agreed to the Non-Aggression Pact, may have allied with Britain and France in 1939 and using a two front war, ended the rein of terror that Adolf Hitler brought upon Europe, before it had even started.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Tonto 1]

And the samr could be said for the change if foreign policy between Clinton and Bush...

It's the year of the Pig.

[AggieDave 6]

Then which one is Lenin and which one is Stalin? Neither have bushy mustaches...

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Tonto 1]

Bwahhh I guess it doesn't matter when you look at it that way... although I always liked Lenin's little cap. Russian caps went BIG after that.
t

It's the year of the Pig.