Completing the characterization foreign policy Russia in the 19th century, we should dwell briefly on the formation of military-political alliances in Europe at the end of the century.

After the Berlin Congress international position Russia worsened again. A new balance of political and military forces was taking shape in the world. By the beginning of the 80s. in Europe there was a sharp strengthening of Germany. The positions of Austria-Hungary in the Balkans were strengthened, England stepped up its colonial conquests.

By the beginning of the 80s. Germany remained the most important market for agricultural products for Russia, and therefore the economic interests of the landowners required the maintenance of friendly relations with it. The monarchical solidarity of both courts also pushed for Russian-German rapprochement.

In the mid 80s. A series of coups d'état took place in Bulgaria, as a result of which the influence of Russia in the Bulgarian ruling circles was forced out. The loss of influence on the Bulgarian government was a serious setback for tsarist diplomacy.

Bismarck's tough policy towards Russia to create artificial complications for the Russian government in the Balkans and the German economic pressure on the Russian bourgeois-landlord circles associated with the German regime did not justify itself. The policy of the Russian government increasingly began to acquire anti-German features. In 1887, decrees were issued that limited the flow of German capital into Russia and increased duties on the import of metal, metal products and coal, on products chemical industry etc.

By the end of the 80s. Russia's contradictions with Austria-Hungary and Germany became more significant than the contradictions with England. In the decision international affairs the Russian government began to look for partners. An important prerequisite such a step were serious changes in the entire European situation, caused by the conclusion in 1882 of tripartite alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy. In the early 90s. there were signs of rapprochement between the members of the Triple Alliance and England. Under these conditions, the rapprochement between Russia and France began.

The Russian-French rapprochement had not only a political, but also an economic basis. Since 1887, Russia began to regularly receive French loans.

In the summer of 1891, a French military squadron arrived in Kronstadt. On August 27, 1891, a Russian-French alliance was concluded in secrecy. A year later, due to a new increase German army A military convention was signed between Russia and France. The final formalization of the Russian-French alliance did not take place immediately. Only in January 1894 was the treaty ratified by Alexander III and became binding.

The alliance with France put forward the need for a reorientation of Russia's foreign policy in other regions. The government was forced to abandon active operations in the Balkans. This was associated with Russia's new obligations to France.

At the same time, tsarism stepped up its foreign policy activities in the Far East.

Thus, as we see, the foreign policy of Russia in the XIX century. was complex and ambiguous. Its decline or activity was undoubtedly influenced by the changing situation both in Russia itself and in international relations.

"Cold War" (1946-1991) - a period in development international relations and foreign policy of the USSR. The essence of " cold war"There was a political, military-strategic and ideological confrontation between the countries of the capitalist and socialist systems. It split the world into two parts, two military-political and economic groups, two socio-political systems. The world has become bipolar, bipolar.

The formal beginning of the Cold War was the speech of W. Churchill in Fulton (USA) on March 5, 1946, in which he called Western countries fight the "expansion of totalitarian communism".

Background of the Cold War: pro-Soviet regimes emerged in Europe; the liberation movement is expanding in the colonies against the mother countries; two superpowers were formed, the military and economic power of which gave them a significant superiority over others; Western interests at various points the globe they begin to run into the interests of the USSR; mutual distrust, the formation by each side of the "image of the enemy."

Stages of the Cold War

Stage I: 1946-1953 — confrontation between two military-political blocs in Europe

After the end of World War II, the leadership of the USSR did everything possible to ensure that pro-Soviet forces, primarily communist parties, came to power in the countries of Central and South-Eastern Europe. J. Kennan in February 1946 outlined the basic principles of the "containment" policy. American policy towards the USSR headed for limiting the spread of communist ideology in the countries Western Europe and support Soviet Union communist movements.

  • The US President G. Truman's doctrine (1947) assumed a policy of American interference in the political, military, and economic affairs of the Balkans and other countries. On May 22, 1947, the Truman Doctrine went into effect.
  • An integral part of the new US foreign policy was the program for the economic revival of war-torn Europe, the Marshall Plan (1947).
  • On August 29, 1949, the first tests were carried out in the Soviet Union nuclear bomb at the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site.
  • Late 1940s - in the USSR, repressions against dissidents begin, in the USA - a "witch hunt".
  • The USSR is moving to the large-scale use of jet fighter-interceptors (B-47 and B-52).
  • The most acute period of confrontation between the two blocs fell on the years of the Korean War.

Events:

March 17, 1948 - in Brussels, Great Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, Austria, Denmark, Switzerland and Sweden signed a 50-year pact providing for cooperation in the economic, social, cultural and military fields.

1948 - the conclusion of the USSR treaties of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Finland.

1949 - the split of Germany (FRG and GDR).

April 4, 1949 - the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty (NATO), on the basis of which the combined armed forces were created, headed by US President D. Eisenhower.

1949 - creation of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA) to jointly solve economic problems in connection with the split of Europe; this organization included the USSR, Hungary, Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Albania, in 1950 - the GDR, in 1962 - Mongolia.

1955 - the creation of a military-political union - the Warsaw Pact Organization (OVD), which included (at the time of signing) Albania (in 1968 it denounced the Treaty), Bulgaria, Hungary, the GDR, Poland, Romania, the USSR, Czechoslovakia.

Stage II: 1953-1962 - the onset of the Khrushchev "thaw" and the retreat of the threat of world war

  • 1959 - N. S. Khrushchev's visit to the USA.
  • The events of June 17, 1953 in the GDR, the events of 1956 in Poland, the anti-communist uprising in Hungary in 1956, the Suez crisis.
  • 1957 - USSR tested an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) R-7 capable of reaching the United States. Since 1959, the Soviet Union began mass production ICBM.
  • The scandal with the American U-2 spy plane (1960) led to a new aggravation of relations between the USSR and the USA, the peak of which was the Berlin Crisis (1961) and Caribbean crisis (1962).

Stage III: 1962-1979 - detente international tension

  • In 1968, attempts at democratic reforms in Czechoslovakia (Prague Spring) caused the military intervention of the USSR and its allies.
  • In Germany, the coming to power of the Social Democrats led by W. Brandt was marked by a new “Eastern policy”, which resulted in the Moscow Treaty between the USSR and the FRG in 1970, which fixed the inviolability of borders, the rejection of territorial claims and declared the possibility of uniting the FRG and the GDR.
  • In 1975, a conference on security and cooperation in Europe was held in Helsinki, and a joint Soviet-American flight into space was carried out (the Soyuz-Apollo program).
  • Treaties on the limitation of strategic arms have been signed. In military terms, the basis of "detente" was the nuclear-missile parity of the blocs that had developed by that time.
  • 1974 - The United States and other NATO countries began to modernize forward-based facilities in Western Europe or off its coast; The United States is creating new generations of cruise missiles.
  • In 1976, the USSR began to deploy missiles on the western borders medium range The RSD-10 Pioneer (SS-20) modernized the general-purpose forces deployed in Central Europe, in particular, the Tu-22M long-range bomber.
  • December 12, 1979 - NATO decides to deploy American missiles medium and shorter range on the territory of the countries of Western Europe and the beginning of negotiations with the USSR on the issue of euromissiles.

Stage IV: 1979-1985 - a new aggravation in connection with the introduction Soviet troops to Afghanistan, violation of the geopolitical balance and the transition of the USSR to a policy of expansion

  • Production began in the USA in 1981 neutron weapons- artillery shells and warheads of the Lance short-range missile.
  • In the fall of 1983, a South Korean civilian airliner was shot down by Soviet air defense forces. It was then that US President Ronald Reagan called the USSR an "evil empire."
  • In 1983, the United States deployed on the territory of Germany, Great Britain, Denmark, Belgium and Italy ballistic missiles medium-range "Pershing-2" in 5-7 minutes of flight to targets in the European territory of the USSR and cruise missiles air-based; began developing a space program missile defense(the so-called Star Wars program).
  • In 1983-1986 Soviet nuclear forces and the missile attack warning system were on high alert.

Stage V: 1985-1991 — M. S. Gorbachev came to power, détente policies of the 1970s, arms control programs (meeting in Reykjavik)

  • In 1988, the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan begins.
  • The fall of the communist system in Eastern Europe in 1989-1990 led to the liquidation of the Soviet bloc, and with it the actual cessation of the Cold War.

Manifestations of the Cold War:

- acute political and ideological confrontation between the communist and Western liberal systems;

- creation of a system of military (NATO, Warsaw Pact Organization, SEATO, CENTO, ANZUS, ANZUK) and economic (EEC, CMEA, ASEAN, etc.) unions;

— creation of an extensive network of US and USSR military bases on the territory foreign states;

- forcing the arms race; a sharp increase in military spending;

- international crises (Berlin crises, Caribbean crisis, Korean War, Vietnam War, Afghan war);

- the tacit division of the world into "spheres of influence" (Soviet and Western blocs), within which the possibility of intervention was tacitly allowed in order to maintain a regime pleasing to one or another bloc (Soviet intervention in Hungary in 1956, Soviet intervention in Czechoslovakia in 1968, the American operation in Guatemala, the overthrow of the anti-Western government in Iran organized by the USA and Great Britain, the invasion of Cuba organized by the USA, etc.);

- the rise of the national liberation movement in colonial and dependent countries and territories, the decolonization of these countries, the formation of the "third world"; non-aligned movement, neo-colonialism;

- waging a massive "psychological war";

- support for anti-government forces abroad;

- reduction of economic and humanitarian ties between states with different socio-political systems;

boycotts of the Olympic Games (the United States and a number of other countries boycotted the summer Olympic Games 1980 in Moscow, the USSR and most socialist countries - the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles).

Experiencing mistrust and hostility towards Germany, Great Britain and France, realizing their common interests, entered into allied relationship. In 1896, between these countries there was last conflict because of the colonies. After a war that almost started as a result of a clash between French and English detachments near the Sudanese town of Fashoda, both powers revised their positions: they managed to resolve the contradictions related to the division of spheres of influence in Africa. In an effort to jointly resist the growing military power of Germany and planning, in the event of a possible victory over it, to "take over" the enemy's colonies, Great Britain and France in 1904 made an alliance, named Entente.

In order to finally determine their place in system European Unions, Russia needed to settle relations with France's partner - Great Britain. After long negotiations in 1907, an Anglo-Russian agreement was signed, which resolved the contradictions that arose primarily in the Middle East. Great Britain agreed to its conclusion, as it understood that it needed an agreement with Russia not only to counteract the strengthening of Germany's position in the Middle East, but also to create a powerful military-political bloc in Europe directed against Germany. According to this document, the previous disagreements in Asia were settled: Iran was divided into spheres of influence between Russia and Great Britain, Russia's non-interference in the affairs of Afghanistan was confirmed, Great Britain abandoned the idea of ​​subjugating Tibet. In general, the agreement was beneficial to Russia, which removed the threat from its southern borders. Foreign Minister A.P. Izvolsky wrote to Nicholas II: “The calm that came within the empire and the conclusion of diplomatic agreements that ensured us from the possibility of new complications in the East, returned to Russia complete freedom of action and returned to her place, which was due to her among the great European powers ".

Russia has gained strong positions in Iran, turning into a power actively influencing the situation in the region. Access to Iranian oil and, in the future, to ports in the Persian Gulf compensated for the refusal to influence Afghanistan. The British, worried that Germany might threaten their naval power, were also pleased to have a new ally.

However, the inclusion of Russia in the system of treaties with England and France meant its accession to one of the hostile military-political blocs - the Entente. material from the site

Even earlier, in late XIX V. gained allies and Germany. In 1882 he was imprisoned Triple Alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy, directed against France and Russia.

Thus, having settled relations with each other, two powerful military-political blocs - Triple Alliance And Entente— were preparing to plunge millions of people in Europe and around the world into a gigantic slaughter. Royal Russia turned out to be an ally democratic states- Great Britain, France, later - the USA and an opponent of Germany and Austria-Hungary close to her in terms of state structure.

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In history international relations a new one starts stage. The Berlin Congress did not so much resolve the problems facing the European community as it sowed the seeds of new conflicts. As a well-known historian wrote, at the congress in Berlin, European diplomats “did not take into account either justice, or the will of the peoples, or even common sense and common interests. According to him, " final act congress is a monument of selfishness, a product of mutual envy, an immoral and pitiful creation, because, without providing any peace, this act only prepared numerous pretexts for conflicts and wars in the future. Many Balkan peoples remained under Turkish rule, while Bosnia and Herzegovina passed into the hands of Austria-Hungary. The process of national unification of the peoples of the Balkan Peninsula was not completed, while, as a result of the policy of the great powers, the seeds of discord were sown between individual peoples.

Austro-German Confederation of 1879 (Dual Alliance)

The outcome of the Eastern crisis also led to an aggravation of relations between the great powers themselves. Anglo-Russian relations sharply complicated, and the Austro-Hungarian and Russian interests in the Balkans entered into an irreconcilable contradiction. Bismarck's policy at the Berlin Congress aroused suspicion in St. Petersburg, in connection with which there was a turn in Russian-German relations. Bismarck, for his part, decided, without breaking off relations with Russia, to build further policy in close cooperation with Austria-Hungary. It was the German chancellor who became the architect of the system of military-political alliances that began to take shape in Europe after the Berlin Congress. The cornerstone of this system was Austro-German Confederation enclosed in 1879 and remained in force until the end of the First World War. Austro-Hungarian diplomacy drew Serbia into the orbit of this union, which from 1881 to 1903 was actually an Austrian protectorate.

The further expansion of the zone of influence of the Austro-German bloc was facilitated by Bulgarian crisis of 1885-1887, caused by the fact that, in violation of the terms of the Berlin Treaty, the two parts of Bulgaria were united into a single state. Russia did not recognize these changes and severed relations with Bulgaria. The situation was immediately taken advantage of by Austro-Hungarian diplomacy, which achieved the election of its protege to the Bulgarian throne. Thus, Russia suffered another diplomatic defeat, and the Austro-German bloc received another ally in the person of Bulgaria.

This course of events was dangerous for Russia in that the participants in the hostile alliance were getting closer and closer to Great Britain.

Triple Alliance

Even at the Berlin Congress, Bismarck, in agreement with British diplomacy, pushed France to seize Tunisia, where Italian economic interests prevailed. As the German chancellor expected, the French occupation of Tunisia in 1881 led to an aggravation of Franco-Italian relations and to Italy's rapprochement with the Austro-German bloc. IN 1882 was imprisoned Triple Alliance Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy, which became the second important step to the creation of the Bismarckian system of alliances. This union was soon joined by Romania, which hoped to take Bessarabia from Russia with its help.

Map of the world in 1871 and 1914

Mediterranean Entente

In 1885, simultaneously with the events in Bulgaria, a most acute conflict broke out in Russian-English relations over Afghanistan, which brought the two powers to the brink of war. At the beginning of 1887, the so-called Mediterranean Entente, providing for the unity of action by Great Britain, Italy and Austria-Hungary to protect their interests in the eastern part mediterranean sea. In the same year, a "customs war" began between Russia and Germany. Under these conditions, the Berlin bankers refused Russian government in loans, forcing him to seek help from Parisian financiers. To top it off, the British Parliament passed a law on the "two-power standard", which provided that the British fleet should not be inferior in strength to the fleets of the other two strongest maritime powers. Since the second and third places in the world were occupied respectively by French and Russian fleets, the direction of this decision was quite obvious. material from the site

1887 Reinsurance Treaty

An important circumstance that influenced the course of international relations was the resignation of Bismarck in 1890. The new German leadership abandoned "reinsurance" contract of 1887, which was concluded to avoid the accidental outbreak of war with Russia. Following that, the Heligoland Treaty was signed, which was aimed at resolving colonial contradictions between Germany and Great Britain in Africa. Germany received the strategically important island of Helgoland in the North Sea, renouncing in favor of Great Britain its claims to the island of Zanzibar off the coast of East Africa.

Russo-French Military Convention (Franco-Russian Union)

The rapprochement of the Austro-German bloc with Great Britain also threatened the interests of France, which in the 1880s. intensified its foreign and colonial policy. Thus, a situation developed in the international arena that was equally dangerous for both Russia and France, which created the preconditions for an alliance between them. IN 1891 they concluded a general political agreement, and at the turn 1893-1894 signed Russian-French military convention, which provided for the cooperation of the armed forces of the two powers against Germany. This agreement completed the first stage in the formation of a system of military alliances. In the new international situation, the British government continued to adhere to the policy "brilliant isolation", without joining either the Tripartite or the Russian-French alliance.

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Military-political blocs are organizations that are treated rather ambiguously in society. Some people believe that they main task is to support peace and provide military protection members of the alliance, others believe that it is precisely such organizations that are the main source of aggression in the world. Who is right here and is there a definite answer to this question? Let's find out what the military-political blocs are, and at the same time trace the history of their creation and development.

Definition

Let us establish what is meant by the definition of this organization. A military-political bloc is an alliance of several states created for collective defense or for conducting military operations against a common enemy. The creation of a block may also pursue the goal of cooperation on political and economic issues between its members. The degree of this cooperation and mutual integration for each such union is individual. Agreements may provide for joint action only in the event of a specific military danger or to assume close cooperation in all spheres, even in peacetime.

In some organizations, a collective decision is strictly binding, while in others it is advisory in nature, that is, each member has the right to refuse to comply with the decision without leaving the block. There are unions in which each member country is obliged to start military operations in the event of an attack on one of the members of the bloc. However, this principle does not apply in all such organizations. without fail. For example, if in NATO an attack on one of the members of the alliance means a declaration of war on the entire bloc as a whole, then in SEATO there was no such rule in the charter.

Military-political blocs can be created to perform a specific task and, after achieving the goal, be dissolved or act on an indefinite basis.

The history of the emergence of blocks

The forerunners of modern military blocs have been known since ancient world. The very first military alliance of several states can be called a coalition of Greek policies that existed for 10 years in the legendary campaign against Troy in the 12th century. BC. But these were, rather, legendary times, and not historical ones, since the written annals of those events have not been preserved.

The first coalition in reliable history appears in 691 BC. e. It was an alliance of Media, Babylonia and Elam against Assyria. In addition, history knows such unions of Greek policies as the Peloponnesian, Delian, Boeotian, Corinthian, Chalkid. A little later, the Hellenic, Achaean and Aetolian unions were formed. Then in Central Italy the Latin Union was formed, which later grew into the Ancient Roman state.

All these alliances were more like confederations than military blocs in their modern sense.

In the Middle Ages, alliances of states were most often limited to military support in case of war and almost did not touch on other areas of relations. Often it was an association against a specific enemy. Thus, the cementing basis of the Franco-Scottish (or Old) alliance, which was concluded in 1295, was the hostile attitude of both countries with England. It was during this period that England began its expansion into Scotland, and a few decades later began Hundred Years War with France. It is noteworthy that the union between Scotland and France lasted as much as 265 years until 1560.

In 1386, an Anglo-Portuguese alliance arose, formalized by the Treaty of Windsor. He, in turn, was directed against the strengthening of Spain. However, formally it exists to this day, thus being the oldest military-political union, but still not a bloc in the modern sense.

At the dawn of the New Age, a number of military alliances of European states arose, striving to unite in coalitions against a common enemy. Such unions include the Holy and Catholic Leagues under the patronage of the Pope, the Protestant Union, which united Lutheran and Calvinist states, and other associations.

In 1668, the Triple Alliance of England, Sweden and Holland arose, directed against France, which had grown stronger under Louis XIV.

In 1756, two opposing alliances were formed at once - Anglo-Prussian and Versailles. The last associations included Russia, France and Austria. It was they who entered into confrontation in the Seven Years' War. In the end, the Russian Empire, as a result of the accession to the throne of Peter III, went over to the side of the Anglo-Prussian alliance.

From 1790 to 1815, a number of coalitions were formed to fight revolutionary and Napoleonic France. Moreover, often by force of arms and with the help of diplomacy, France forced some members of these coalitions to leave them, or even go over to the French side. But, in the end, the forces of the Sixth Coalition managed to defeat Napoleon.

In 1815, between Prussia, Russia and Austria, it was formed with the aim of consolidating the world order established after the Napoleonic Wars and preventing revolutions in Europe. However, in 1832, after another, this union broke up.

In 1853, a coalition was formed between France, England, the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Sardinia against the Russian Empire. This alliance won the Crimean War.

Unions of a new type

Now it is time to describe the formation of military-political blocs closer to modern type. Origin similar organizations started from the second half of XIX century and took shape in specific structures towards the end of the century. It was the formation of these associations that became the decisive factor that led to the outbreak of World War I.

The Triple Alliance (1882-1915) and the Franco-Russian Alliance (1891-1893) became the basis for the opposing blocs, later transformed into the Quadruple Alliance and the Entente.

Formation of the Quadruple Alliance

As mentioned above, the Triple Alliance, concluded in 1882 between the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Italy and Germany, served as the basis for the creation of the Quadruple Alliance. The countries of the Triple Alliance sought to assert their dominance in continental Europe, for which they united against France and the Russian Empire.

The conclusion of the Triple Alliance was preceded by the bilateral Austro-German treaty of 1879. It was Prussia, created on the basis of the kingdom, that took the initiative to create a military-political bloc directed against Russia and France. Germany was also the strongest economic and political state of the bloc.

It should be noted that before Austria-Hungary adhered to allied relations with the Russian Empire, and it was at enmity with Prussia because of the rivalry for the right of supremacy in the German world. But after the victory of Prussia in the Austro-Prussian war of 1866 and in Franco-Prussian War In 1970, the situation changed radically. Prussia proved its dominance on the fragments of the former Holy Roman Empire, and Austria-Hungary was forced to ally with it by signing an agreement on mutual support in 1879 in Vienna, the validity of which was set at 5 years.

The agreement provided that in the event of an attack by the Russian Empire on one of the signatories, the second should come to his aid. If Germany or Austria-Hungary is attacked not by Russia, but by another country, then the second person involved in the treaty must at least remain neutral, but if the Russian emperor takes the side of the aggressor, then, again, the signatories must unite for mutual struggle. This bloc of two powers was called the Dual Alliance.

Italy joined Austria-Hungary and Germany in 1882. Thus the Triple Alliance was born. However, the signing of the treaty between these three countries was initially kept secret. As before, the term of the treaty was limited to five years. In 1887 and in 1891 he signed again, and in 1902 and 1912. automatically extended.

It should be noted that the union of the three countries was not very strong. So, for economic reasons, in 1902, an agreement was signed between Italy and France, which stated that in the event of a war between the French and the Germans, the Italians would remain neutral. Therefore, after the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Italy did not take the side of Germany and Austria-Hungary. In 1915, having signed an agreement in London with the countries of the Entente, Italy refused to participate in the Triple Alliance, and entered the war on the side of its opponents.

The tripartite alliance has come to an end. Germany and Austria-Hungary managed to create a new coalition. Instead of Italy, already during the World War, two states joined the union at once - Ottoman Empire(since 1914) and Bulgaria (since 1915). Thus the Quadruple Alliance was born. The countries that were part of the association are usually called the Central Powers.

The Quadruple Alliance ceased to exist due to defeat in World War I. As a result, Austro-Hungarian and Germany and Bulgaria suffered significant territorial losses.

Entente

The military-political blocs of the First World War were not limited to the Quadruple Alliance. The second formidable force that entered the confrontation was the Entente.

The beginning of the formation of the Entente was laid by the Franco-Russian alliance, concluded in 1891. It was a kind of response to the formation of the Triple Alliance. Russia and France agreed that in the event of an attack by members of a hostile coalition on one of the countries, the second should military aid. These agreements were valid as long as the Triple Alliance exists.

In 1904 an agreement was signed between Britain and France. It put an end to centuries of rivalry between these powers. Great Britain and France agreed on the colonial division of the world and became de facto allies. This agreement was given the name Entente cordiale, which is translated from French as "cordial consent". Hence the name of the bloc - the Entente.

In 1907, the Anglo-Russian contradictions were overcome. An agreement on the delimitation of influence was signed between the representatives of the states. Thus completed the formation of the Entente.

The military-political blocs in Europe - the Entente and the Quadruple Alliance - played a decisive role in unleashing World War I. After the attack German Empire against Russia and France, Great Britain, true to its allied duty, declared war on Germany. However, not all members of the Entente had the strength and resources to bring the war to a victorious end. So, in 1917, the Bolshevik revolution took place in Russia, after which the country made peace with Germany and actually withdrew from the Entente. However, this did not prevent other members of the coalition, with the help of the United States and other allies, to win the world war.

After the end of the war, the Entente countries (Great Britain and France) undertook an intervention in Russia in order to overthrow the Bolshevik regime. However, this time great success failed to achieve.

Military blocs during World War II

Military alliance of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Imperial Japan and a number of other countries served main reason Second World War. The beginning of the creation of the bloc was the agreement signed in 1936 between Germany and Japan on joint actions against the spread of communism. It was called the Anti-Comintern Pact. Later, Italy and a number of other states, which are commonly called the Axis countries, joined this treaty. It was the powers of this block that showed aggression, starting the Second World War.

The coalition opposing the Axis countries was already formed only during World War II. It was formed from the USSR, Great Britain and the USA and took the name of the Anti-Hitler Coalition. The beginning of the formation was laid in 1941, after the USSR and the USA entered the war. The key moment in the creation of a bloc directed against the fascist aggressors was the Tehran Conference of the Heads of Powers in 1943. Only after the creation of a strong coalition did the allies manage to turn the tide of the war.

NATO bloc

The creation of military-political blocs became an element of confrontation between the countries of the West and the USSR in the so-called Cold War. From them came the danger of unleashing a new world war, but at the same time they served as a deterrent.

The most famous was the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO). It was created in 1949 and united Europe, the USA and Canada. Its purpose is to provide collective security the above countries. However, it is no secret to anyone that initially the North Atlantic Alliance was conceived with the aim of containing the USSR. But even after the collapse of the Union, the bloc did not cease to exist, but, on the contrary, was replenished with a number of countries from Eastern Europe.

Even before the formation of NATO in 1948, the Western European Union was formed. It was a kind of attempt to organize their own pan-European armed forces, but after the formation of NATO, the relevance of this issue has disappeared.

Establishment of ATS

In response to the formation of NATO in 1955, the countries of the socialist camp, on the initiative of the USSR, created their own military-political bloc, which became known as the Department of Internal Affairs. His goal was to oppose the North Atlantic Alliance. The bloc, in addition to the USSR, included 7 more states: Bulgaria, Albania, Hungary, Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia.

The Department of Internal Affairs was liquidated in 1991, after the collapse of the socialist camp.

Small military blocks

The military-political blocs of the 20th century existed not only on a global, but also on a regional scale. Between the world wars, a number of local alliances were created to solve regional problems and ensure the Versailles world order. These included the Entente: Small, Mediterranean, Balkan, Middle Eastern, Baltic.

During the Cold War, a number of regional blocs were created, the purpose of which was to prevent the spread communist regimes. These included SEATO (Southeast Asia), CENTO (Middle East), ANZUK (Asia-Pacific).

Formation of the CSTO

In 1992, a number of formed an alliance - the CSTO. This is a kind of military-political bloc of Russia, since it plays a dominant role in it.

The task of the CSTO is to ensure the security of its members and stability in the post-Soviet space. In addition to the Russian Federation, the bloc includes Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, and Tajikistan. Previously, it also included Uzbekistan, Georgia and Azerbaijan.