Diplomatic initiatives

The whole system of the Soviet diplomatic initiatives in the international relations was focused on preserving peace at any cost, keeping at bay those forces, which were seeking military solutions to their political aspirations, and winning time to consolidate the defence of the Soviet Union. As the Soviet political and military leadership issued from the ideological premises, they foresaw that the most probable enemy of the socialist Soviet Union would be nazi Germany. However, they were afraid of the possibility to face an international crusade mounted by the Western democracies together with Germany. To the Kremlin such a perspective looked very probable in view of the collapse of the Anglo-Franco-Soviet talks in the spring and summer of 1939, as well as mounting anti-Soviet propaganda in the West. In such circumstances the Soviet Union accepted the German proposal to conclude the non-aggression treaty, which was signed on 23 August 1939. More >>>