Russian-American Relations

Report Outline
The United States, Russia, and Disarmament
Political Relations Between United States and Russia
The Issue of Soviet Recognition
Soviet-American Trade Relations
Special Focus

The provisional government of Kerensky was overthrown November 7, 1917, after eight months of power, and the present government of Russia was established two days later. The Soviet government will begin its fifteenth year of power on November 9, 1931. The United States was the first of the great powers to recognize the government of Kerensky after the fall of the Romanoffs: today it remains the only great power by which recognition has not been extended to the government of the Soviets.

The coming year, in addition to marking the fifteenth anniversary of the Bolshevik revolution, will witness the completion of the first “Five-Year Plan” of the Soviet government. The execution of this plan, while it has greatly stimulated American exports to Russia, has tended to set the United States and Russia apart as the champions of two radically different social and economic systems—capitalism and communism.

The Soviet Union now ranks as the sixth best market for American products abroad and the growth of commercial intercourse between the two nations has led to agitation for the establishment of diplomatic relations on the ground that such action would give a badly-needed stimulant to American export trade and thus speed recovery from the depression. On the other hand, sales of Soviet products in this country have led to charges of dumping and demands for embargoes which will receive consideration from Congress when it reconvenes in December.