Stalin’s Early Cold War Foreign Policy: Southern Neighbours in the Shadow of Moscow, 1945-1947

After World War II, the Soviet Union claimed control over eastern Turkey, the Bosporus, Dardanelles, and Turkish Straits, leading to a conflict with the Western Allies. The study of these events reveals Stalins anti-Turkish diplomacy and the Soviet Union's desire to access oil resources in Iran. Soviet secret service bodies and diplomatic institutions also exploited Kurdish minorities in the region, placing the bordering regions of China, Turkey, and Iran in the shadowy reaches of Moscows policy. This research uses newly discovered archive material to illustrate the underlying intrigue and tracks how the Soviet Union was defeated in the first Cold War confrontation over its southern borders. It also links events of this period with the critical issue of Uyghur assimilation and contemporary developments highlighting Putins policies, making it invaluable for both academic and general readers.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 252 pages
Publication date: 29 January 2024
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Immediately following the Allied World War II victory in Europe, the Soviet Union made assertions over the eastern regions of Turkey, aiming to establish direct control over the strategically important Bosporus, Dardanelles, and Turkish Straits. A comprehensive examination of the international dimensions of these events, delving into the intricate complexities of Stalin's anti-Turkish diplomacy, offers a vital key to understanding the crucial aspects of these Soviet territorial claims.

Iranian Azerbaijan emerged as another focal point of post-war confrontation between the Western Allies and the USSR. Soviet policy towards Iran manifested in its desire to gain access to the country's oil resources. Furthermore, within the Soviet post-war strategy, the Kurdish issue in the Near and Middle East gained prominence. The convergence of Turkish and Iranian events placed the bordering regions of China, Turkey, and Iran squarely within the shadowy realm of Moscow's policy.

This research employs newly discovered archive material to vividly illustrate the underlying intrigue behind Soviet ambition and meticulously tracks how the Soviet Union faced defeat in the initial Cold War confrontation over its southern borders. It also establishes connections between these events and the critical issue of Uyghur assimilation, as well as contemporary developments highlighting Putin's policies, making it an invaluable resource for both academic and general readers.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032269740