The Bolsheviks and Britain during the Russian Revolution and Civil War, 1917–24

Description

This book analyses the principal aspects of the relations between Soviet Russia (USSR) and Britain in the crucial phase of their formation, namely the period from 1917 to 1924. Using previously unavailable and largely unknown archival records and memoirs published by statesmen, diplomats and military commanders directly involved in the events, Evgeny Sergeev not only reconstructs the dynamics of the interaction between Moscow and London, but also strips its key episodes of common myths and stereotypes. The most debatable issues, to which this study draws its primary attention, include Britain’s role in the Entente armed intervention against the Bolshevik regime as well as a series of reciprocate attempts to avoid political controversies, and London’s contribution to humanitarian aid and the economic recovery of post-revolutionary Russia. Special consideration is also given to the impact of British diplomacy on the recognition of the USSR by other great powers like France, Italy, and Japan in the mid-1920s. Cover Contents List of Illustrations List of Maps Preface Maps Acknowledgements List of Abbreviations Select Chronology Introduction 1 The problem of Brest in Soviet-British relations 2 British armed intervention ‘by agreement’ 3 The so-called ‘complot of ambassadors’ 4 Oriental trends of the Soviet-British relations, 1918 5 ‘Stillborn crusade’ against Bolsheviks and ‘Russian question’ at the Paris Peace Conference 6 The Baltic problem, Soviet-Polish war and trade negotiations 7 From bad to worse: Soviet-British relations in the Middle and Far East, 1919–22 8 Soviet Russia and Great Britain at the international conferences, 1922–3 9 The ‘Curzon ultimatum’ of 1923 10 The USSR’s recognition by Britain and its repercussions Epilogue Notes Select bibliography Index