Editing Joseph Stalin (section)

====Ideological and foreign affairs====
{{Further|Joseph Stalin's cult of personality}}

In 1936, Stalin oversaw the adoption of [[1936 Constitution of the Soviet Union|a new constitution]] with expansive democratic features; it was designed as propaganda, as all power rested in his hands.{{Sfn|Service|2004|p=319}} He declared that "socialism, the first phase of communism, has been achieved".{{Sfn|Service|2004|p=319}} In 1938, the ''[[History of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Bolsheviks)]]'' was released;{{Sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=212|2a1=Volkogonov|2y=1991|2pp=552–443|3a1=Service|3y=2004|3p=361}} commonly known as the "Short Course", it became the central text of Stalinism.{{Sfn|Conquest|1991|p=212}} Authorised Stalin biographies were also published,{{Sfn|Service|2004|p=361}} though Stalin preferred to be viewed as the embodiment of the Communist Party, rather than have his life story explored.{{Sfn|Service|2004|p=362}}

[[File:Soviet armor in the spanish civil war.png|thumb|Review of Soviet armoured vehicles used to equip the [[Spanish Republican Army|Republican Army]] during the [[Spanish Civil War]]]]
Seeking better international relations, in 1934 the Soviet Union joined the [[League of Nations]], from which it had previously been excluded.{{Sfn|Service|2004|p=386}} Stalin initiated confidential communications with Hitler in October 1933, shortly after the latter came to power.{{Sfn|Conquest|1991|p=217}} Stalin admired Hitler, particularly his manoeuvres to remove rivals within the [[Nazi Party]] in the [[Night of the Long Knives]].{{Sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=176|2a1=Montefiore|2y=2003|2p=116|3a1=Service|3y=2004|3p=340}} Stalin nevertheless recognised the threat posed by fascism and sought to establish better links with the [[liberal democracies]] of Western Europe;{{Sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=218|2a1=Khlevniuk|2y=2015|2pp=123, 135}} in May 1935, the Soviets signed treaties of mutual assistance with France and Czechoslovakia.{{Sfn|Khlevniuk|2015|p=135}} At the Communist International's [[Seventh World Congress of the Comintern|7th Congress]] in July–August 1935, the Soviet Union encouraged Marxist–Leninists to unite with other leftists as part of a [[popular front]] against fascism.{{Sfnm|1a1=Haslam|1y=1979|1pp=682–683|2a1=Conquest|2y=1991|2p=218|3a1=Service|3y=2004|3p=385|4a1=Khlevniuk|4y=2015|4p=135}} In response, Germany, Italy, and Japan signed the [[Anti-Comintern Pact]].{{sfnm|1a1=Service|1y=2004|1p=392|2a1=Khlevniuk|2y=2015|2p=154}}

When the [[Spanish Civil War]] broke out in July 1936, the Soviets sent military aid to the [[Republican faction (Spanish Civil War)|Republican faction]], including 648 aircraft and 407 tanks, along with 3,000 Soviet troops and 42,000 members of the [[International Brigades]].{{Sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=219|2a1=Service|2y=2004|2p=387}} Stalin took a personal involvement in the Spanish situation.{{Sfn|Khlevniuk|2015|p=154}} Germany and Italy backed the [[Nationalist faction]], which was ultimately victorious in March 1939.{{Sfn|Service|2004|pp=387, 389}} With the outbreak of the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]] in July 1937, the Soviet Union and China signed a [[Sino-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact|non-aggression pact]].{{Sfn|Khlevniuk|2015|p=156}} Stalin aided the Chinese as the KMT and the Communists suspended their civil war and formed his desired [[Second United Front|United Front]] against Japan.{{sfn|Service|2004|pp=392}}