Date of Award
Spring 5-2026
Language
English
Document Type
Honors Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
History
Advisor/Committee Chair
Ryan Irwin
Committee Member
David Hochfelder
Abstract
This project will examine the connections between American corporations and the Soviet state from the late 1920’s through WWII. In particular, this project will focus on ventures undertaken by said corporations towards the modernization of Soviet industrial might, including, but not limited to, Ford-built automotive plants, Albert Kahn-designed factories, and General Electric-built hydroelectric grids. These ventures not only helped the Soviets transform a historically agricultural society into an industrial one but also enabled the rapid conversion of peacetime infrastructure into hubs of wartime production. The project then situates these private indirect contributions alongside the direct aid provided by the American government under the Lend-Lease Act, highlighting the diverse impact of American contributions towards the Soviet war effort. By tracing these relationships, the project frames American Soviet relations during the interwar years as a critical exchange of economic and technological innovations that decisively shaped the Red Army’s ability to wage war on Nazi Germany.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Recommended Citation
Banaszewski, Evan, "AMERICAN INDUSTRY AND SOVIET BLOOD: U.S.-U.S.S.R. Collaborations during the Interwar and Wartime Years" (2026). History. 22.
https://scholarsarchive.library.albany.edu/honorscollege_history/22