Where could Bolshevik Russia have most easily & plausibly "improved" its border by the early 1920s?

raharris1973

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a ) Finland, gaining more space for Petrograd?
b ) Estonia, gaining more space for Petrograd?
c ) Latvia?
d ) Lithuania?
e) Poland?
f) Bessarabia (from Romania)?
g) Kars-Ardahan (from Turkey)?
 

BigBlueBox

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a ) Finland, gaining more space for Petrograd?
b ) Estonia, gaining more space for Petrograd?
c ) Latvia?
d ) Lithuania?
e) Poland?
f) Bessarabia (from Romania)?
g) Kars-Ardahan (from Turkey)?
They already tried Poland and failed in 1920. Because of that failure they were unable to retake any territory from the Baltic states or Romania. Taking back Kars right after they let Turkey take it would be pointless.
 

raharris1973

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Estonia seems the most plausible in terms of wholesale absorption.

Doing better against Poland where they advanced well past the Curzon Line seems plausible as well.
 

Deleted member 1487

The easiest would probably be Poland with a POD they win. If they pull that off, say fighting them to a standstill and gaining Eastern Poland with non-Polish majority areas, then they could avoid triggering Allied action and probably get their gains recognized.
 

raharris1973

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Isn't an expasionist Soviet Union the best trigger for a WWII opposing Europe to Russia?

Well sure, after a certain point. But, it's less likely Europe will rally to fight them if it's all happening so soon after WWI ended (up through 1921-22) and as long as the scope of expansion is still generally within what has been "Russian" in living memory.

So, they invade Germany proper or Hungary or Sweden or something like that, then a pan-European coalition becomes a little more plausible.
 

CaliGuy

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a ) Finland, gaining more space for Petrograd?
b ) Estonia, gaining more space for Petrograd?
c ) Latvia?
d ) Lithuania?
e) Poland?
f) Bessarabia (from Romania)?
g) Kars-Ardahan (from Turkey)?
My guess would be either Estonia, Bessarabia, or Kars-Ardahan. Poland is too strong and would probably have a vested interest in keeping Latvia and Lithuania independent; however, its power projection ability might be more limited for more distant locations such as Estonia, Bessarabia, and especially Kars-Ardahan.

Of course, maybe the Turks will be able to defeat the Soviets in a battle over Kars-Ardahan like they managed to defeat the British, French, and Greeks. In turn, this would leave either Estonia or Bessarabia. Of these, Estonia is probably much more important due to its wealth and especially due to its strategic location near St. Petersburg.
 

raharris1973

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Of course, maybe the Turks will be able to defeat the Soviets in a battle over Kars-Ardahan like they managed to defeat the British, French, and Greeks. In turn, this would leave either Estonia or Bessarabia. Of these, Estonia is probably much more important due to its wealth and especially due to its strategic location near St. Petersburg.

Not to mention, Estonia would not have Romania helping it out, like Bessarabia would. Don't know if the "Little Entente" was in effect yet, but Romania might get Czech and Yugoslav assistance against the Soviets (OTOH, the alliance was mainly anti-Hungarian, which was easy to do, because all had taken something from Hungary, and Hungary was weak.)
 

CaliGuy

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Not to mention, Estonia would not have Romania helping it out, like Bessarabia would.

Completely agreed.

Also, do you think that Poland would try helping Estonia out? I mean, the logistics would be harder and the stakes would be less than for Latvia and Lithuania, but could Poland decide that a show of force in Estonia might be a good way to get other countries to join Poland's Intermarium project?

In addition to this, more importantly, is Latvia going to allow Polish troops to enter its territory in order to reach Estonia?

Don't know if the "Little Entente" was in effect yet, but Romania might get Czech and Yugoslav assistance against the Soviets (OTOH, the alliance was mainly anti-Hungarian, which was easy to do, because all had taken something from Hungary, and Hungary was weak.)

Agreed that the Little Entente (of which Romania was a part) might help Romania against the Soviets.

Of course, I wonder if Czechoslovakia might try to be cynical and thus make the Soviet Union an offer like this: No Czechoslovak aid to Romania in regards to Bessarabia in exchange for a Soviet-Czechoslovak alliance. Indeed, any thoughts on this?
 

CaliGuy

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Also, off-topic, but you spelled Bolshevik wrong here, Rob. Indeed, there's only one "e" in Bolshevik. (It's not like "cole slaw"; rather, it's "Bolshevik," not "Bolshevik.")
 
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