Soviet Diplomat. He was considered the man most responsible for bringing the USSR out of its post-revolution isolation. A Jew, Litvinov changed his name from Wallach after joining the Social Democratic Party, and became a member of the Bolshevik wing after the party split in 1903. He took part in the Revolution of 1905 and subsequently spent years in exile in Great Britain and Switzerland. Imprisoned in England after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, he was released in exchange for the British consul general, Bruce Lockhart, who had been arrested in Moscow. Litvinov gained much experience while working under the commissar for foreign affairs. In 1930, he became the Soviet Foreign Minister and pursued a policy of collective security and cooperation with the major powers. In 1933 Litvinov obtained American recognition of the Soviet Union, and under his guidance the USSR entered the League of Nations in 1934. He continued to pursue a peace policy and called for joint action against the aggressiveness of the Axis countries. The Stalin regime abandoned this policy after the Munich Pact of 1938. In May of 1939, he was replaced by Vyacheslav Molotov as Foreign Minister. Litvinov became the Soviet Ambassador to the United States in 1941 and would serve in this position until 1943.
Soviet Diplomat. He was considered the man most responsible for bringing the USSR out of its post-revolution isolation. A Jew, Litvinov changed his name from Wallach after joining the Social Democratic Party, and became a member of the Bolshevik wing after the party split in 1903. He took part in the Revolution of 1905 and subsequently spent years in exile in Great Britain and Switzerland. Imprisoned in England after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, he was released in exchange for the British consul general, Bruce Lockhart, who had been arrested in Moscow. Litvinov gained much experience while working under the commissar for foreign affairs. In 1930, he became the Soviet Foreign Minister and pursued a policy of collective security and cooperation with the major powers. In 1933 Litvinov obtained American recognition of the Soviet Union, and under his guidance the USSR entered the League of Nations in 1934. He continued to pursue a peace policy and called for joint action against the aggressiveness of the Axis countries. The Stalin regime abandoned this policy after the Munich Pact of 1938. In May of 1939, he was replaced by Vyacheslav Molotov as Foreign Minister. Litvinov became the Soviet Ambassador to the United States in 1941 and would serve in this position until 1943.
Bio by: Mr. Badger Hawkeye
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