1944-9 Flashcards
What happened in Germany?
In Germany, East of Elbe, trains were sent Eastwards denuding zone while drunken Soviets on anti-Soviet propaganda attacked and raped citizens. In the GDR Paul Merker and Leo Zuckermann were replaced by Soviet leaders such as Walter Ulbricht. Informers operated and industrial plants were sent Eastwards. By 1950 it was the most orthodox regime.
How did Communists grow?
In 1946 Stalin rejected economic reform from Potsdam. The USSR had a good name as countries feared being fascist after war. The PCI reached 2 million members by 1948.
What happened in Romania?
Romania: Georghe Gheorgiu-Dej was moderate, allowing Petru Groza until 1947 and a merger with the National Peasants Party. In 1947 the NPP was banned and in March 1948 the National Democratic Front won rigged elections. King Michael abdicated.
What happened in Bulgaria?
Bulgaria: Purges wiped out opposition. By 1948 everyone had to join Fatherland Front and Social Democrats were absorbed.
What happened in Hungary?
Hungary, 1945 Communists won 17%, KGP, Smallholders Party, won under Ferenc Nagy. 1947 Communists won 22% or 60% including KGP. By 1949 Hungarian Workers Party had removed fascist opposition, none could oppose.
How did Communist takeover change?
The East was moderate at first with nationalisations and agrarian reform, later eliminating private property
What inspired toughness in Hungary?
After Hiroshima there was new toughness. In May 1947 Italian and French Communists were removed from government, enabling Soviet control in the East. Marshall Voroshilov set a coalition government in Hungary and gained control of the Ministry of the Interior to wipe out opposition with salami tactics.
How did Soviet members take advantage of takeover?
Zhukov filled his home with treasures from East Germany while there was ethnic cleansing in the Baltic and West Ukraine to make space for Russians and East Ukraine people.
What happened in Poland ?
- In 1947, People’s Poland, elections were held. Mikolajckzyk’s Polish Party won more votes but Gomulka won. Rigged. Mikolajckzyk ran for his life in October 1947.
- Poland lost the kresi and Romania lost Bessarabia and Transnistria. In western Poland, Breslau/Wroclaw, Polish refugees from kresi lived. Soviet influence lesser here due to Catholic power and failure to collective agriculture.
What happened in Czechoslovakia?
Nov 1945, Red Army withdrew from Czechoslovakia. Klement Gottwald assured supporters Czechoslovakia would triumph in socialism. In May 1946 elections Communists won a 38% majority and merged with the SDP. In September 1947 Cominform was formed and the coup occurred in February 1948.
What happened in Finland?
Finland was spared the Finnish People’s Defence League with the signing of the Friendship Treaty of April 1948. Finlandization of Eastern Europe would have shocked less people.
When did Churchill make his Iron Curtain speech?
5 March 1946, Churchill makes Iron Curtain speech at Fulton, Missouri. Claimed Iron Curtain drawn from Trieste, Adriatic, to Stettin, in the Baltic. Fitted Truman’s Iron Fist Approach. USSR felt it was a call to war and refused membership of World Bank and International Monetary Fund, setting a new 5 year plan.
When was the Long Telegram made?
22 Feb 1946, George Kennan on Moscow mission requested to send a telegram to the State Department, received by Secretary of State James Byrnes. Claimed Russia had no modus vivendi, way of living, could not peacefully coexist with fears of capitalist encirclement, had military industrialisation, and elaborate apparatus to exert influence.
