Between Western Germany and Japan: the USSR in search of strategic partnership in mid 1950's - first half of 1970's

For the first time on the basis of recently declassified, formerly secret archival documents from the Russian Federal Archives the article offers comparative analysis of the Soviet-Japanese and Soviet-West German trade and technological relations in the mid 1950-s - mid 1970-s. It was the period when the USSR, first led by Nikita Khrushchev and later by Leonid Brezhnev, was actively searching for strategic partners among the leading capitalist countries. Using the global historical perspective the author weighs up the chances “pro” and “contra” rapprochement and entering into “special relations” with either Tokio or Bonn. The research tends to explain the phenomenon of a rapid growth in bilateral trade even under conditions of the Cold War and absence of the Peace Treaty. It shows the role of such factors as the presence or absence of understanding on the top level of policy making and temporary or permanent solution of territorial disputes in the development of long-term partnership relations. The article draws the conclusion that West Germany’s victory over Japan in the competition for strategic partnership with the USSR was predetermined not so much by ideological and military-political considerations as rather by the four key factors: communication networks, credit and financial abilities of Western Germany, technical culture affinity and ability of Willy Brandt’s cabinet to make political compromises.