THE ROLE OF CHRISTIAN RAKOVSKY IN DEVELOPING OF SOVIET POLICY TOWARD FRANCE (DECEMBER 1923 - AUTUMN 1924)

Abstract

Ch. Rakovsky’s activity in relation to the Third Republic is still poorly studied. The removal of the “Secret” tag and the opening of access to previously closed archival materials allowed us to analyze the role of this Soviet political and diplomatic figure in the context of the Franco-Soviet relations. The article states the importance of France in the foreign policy of the USSR. It revealed that the first suggestions Ch. Rakovsky began to actively express in December 1923, in the same period, he was appointed to lead “French affairs”, which he did until the autumn of 1924, when successfully passed the informal Franco-Soviet negotiations on the resumption of diplomatic relations. There are two main types of strategies proposed and, if possible, implemented by Ch. Rakovsky: on the one hand, determination and rigidity (economic and political pressure on Paris from the outside: recall of the trade mission of the USSR, demonstrative rapprochement with Britain and the possibility of restoring a wider Russian-English-German alliance, etc.), on the other hand - diplomacy and tactfulness (desire to establish a connection and enlist the support of a number of French politicians, without interfering directly in the internal affairs of the Third Republic, providing only advice to their allies). It can be concluded that Ch. Rakovsky, officially serving as the plenipotentiary of the USSR in London, played a fairly large role in the development and implementation of Moscow’s policy regarding Paris, and thanks to the active and decisive actions of Ch. Rakovsky, the Third Republic recognized the Soviet Union.