Soviet Policies in the Asian Pacific Region

Abstract

In recent years the USSR has been doing its best to cast its country not only as a European, but as an Asian power as well. Neither this claim, nor Soviet interests in Asian affairs, are new, but they have deep historical roots and ideological justifications. As a result of living in the defenseless and sterile steppes with no natural geographic barriers, the Russians have developed a unique behavior pattern in order to cope with their fierce, hostile neighbors. This traditional behavior pattern is now almost automatic1 and can be christened ameboid expansion. Like an ameba, the Russians tend to constantly and ceaselessly expand. Only when and where they encounter strong resistance or insurmountable obstacles do the Russians retreat, and then they do so only in order to expand elsewhere and resume their advance when a new opportunity presents itself. The motivations for such an expansion under czarist Russia were, according to specialists, quite varied. They included: the quest for a secure frontier; an effort to fill empty space or a power vacuum; the temptation offered by weak and unstable neighbors; the thrust to reach the sea and obtain warm-water ports; the search for fertile terrain; and the desire for economic gain. Additionally, there were other political, religious, and cultural missions that led to Russian expansion.2 In sum, Russian expansion under czarist rule was driven by a combination of both offensive and defensive elements, elements that are inseparable from one another.