The Comintern, also known as the Third International, was formed in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution of 1917. This had seen the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, seize power in Russia and establish the world’s first socialist state. Fearful that the world’s capitalist countries might crush the fledgling communist government, the Bolsheviks sought to spread the ideals of communism and support revolutionary movements in other countries.

During its existence, the Comintern provided financial and ideological support to communist parties in around the world, and helped them to organise campaigns for proletarian revolution. It also served as a forum for debate and discussion among communist leaders and intellectuals.

However, the outbreak of World War II and the signing of the MolotovRibbentrop Pact between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany saw the Comintern’s influence began to wane. When Germany invaded the USSR two years later, Stalin begin actively seeking to improve relations with capitalist powers in order to focus on the war effort against the Axis forces.

In this context, the decision was made to dissolve the Comintern in May 1943 as a gesture of goodwill towards the Western Allies, particularly Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. He also sought to demonstrate the Soviet Union’s commitment to cooperation in the fight against fascism. While the dissolution of the Comintern was a prudent move in the context of the Second World War, communist parties across the world continued to maintain close relations with each other and established the Cominform in 1947.