Chapter 2: USSR and Eastern Europe

Question 1

What confirmed, in Stalin’s mind, that Eastern Europe and the states that the USSR had liberated from Nazi occupation would fall within a Soviet sphere of influence?

Answer 1

The percentages agreement and the Yalta conference.

Question 2

What was the percentages agreement?

Answer 2

Churchill and Stalin met in Moscow. Established percentage of predominance Britain and USSR would each have in Eastern European states. E.g in Romania USSR was to have 90%, in Greece Britain was to have 90% and in Hungary it would be 50% each.

Question 3

What was Stalin’s initial focus regarding Eastern Europe? Why did this change?

Answer 3

Influence, rather than ideological expansion. His further actions in Eastern Europe were motivated by a determination to do whatever necessary to safeguard Soviet international interests and Soviet territory.

Question 4

When was Stalin’s initial intent, to establish a defence zone to the West of the USSR based on satellite states completed?

Answer 4

By 1948. By then, the Soviet Union had succeeded in establishing communist regimes across Eastern Europe; Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, all had pro-Soviet communist regimes in place. This would reinforce the defensive capability of the USSR against possible future threat from the West.

Question 5

How were communist regimes imposed on Eastern Europe?

Answer 5

They were not simple imposed forcibly, it was common for communists to form alliances with other left wing parties and then take control of them. Opposition candidates were often intimidated, and election results were manipulated to ensure a communist victory. Showing Stalin’s motives

Question 6

What was the attitude towards communism in Eastern Europe?

Answer 6

It featured predominantly in anti-facist wartime resitance and emerged as committed patriots. Thee was compliance towards communism in Eastern Europe e.g post-War czechoslovakia, it emerged as the largest single party and won 38% of the vote May 1946. War left these states with unemployment and economic chaos, and for many workers, communism offered a better prospect than capitalism. Many perceived communists as freedom fighters due to their struggle against Nazism.

Question 7

Who in EE were against communism?

Answer 7

The rural peasant looked to the pro-agrarian parties to deliver land redistribution and to be responsive to the particular needs of the very large numbers of rural peasants (pro-agrarian party- focused on representing the interests of the farming communities; the redistribution of land was a political priority for them)

Question 8

What was the condition in which Stalin believed the communist ideology could be fufilled?

Answer 8

If both the USSR was powerful, and he, its leader, was all-powerful. He was committed to power before his commitment to ideology. This meant the communist regimes established could not be independent of Soviet influence. Loyalty to Moscow was a prerequisite of their survival.

Question 9

What, regarding communism operating in EE, was not a high priority to Stalin?

Answer 9

The purity of communist ideology operating in Eastern European states. The leaders of these states had to function as Stalinist puppets. This level of commitment and loyalty gave Stalin, and the Soviet Union power, and power gave security.

Question 10

How was Stalin able to control Poland?

Answer 10

Despite a Polish government existing in exhile in London, the pro-Stalin Lublin Government was established and became Stalin’s instrument of political control. Agreements at Yalta partly facilitated this process

Question 11

Did Stalin abide by the agreements at Yalta regarding Poland?

Answer 11

Stalin failed to conform to the full range of Yalta agreements as far as Poland was concerned. By agreeing to free elections at Yalta, Stalin was able to preserve the role of the Lubln Government.

Question 12

What was the Provisional Government of National Unity (Poland)?

Answer 12

Formed June 1945 and contained parties from both ends of the political spectrum- part of Stalin’s plan to control Poland. He did not simply impose a pro-Soviet communist regime on Poland.

Question 13

What were Stalin’s tactics regarding Poland?

Answer 13

Focused on using a number of approaches such as appearing to allow free multi-party elections but with a clear intent to ensure that the result he wanted would eventually emerge. To some extent Poland was a testing ground for Stalin’s methodology, but it was a model he would deviate from if necessary.

Question 14

What did the communists in Poland do regarding the Peasant Party?

Answer 14

They strengthened their own links with the Polish Socialists, weakening the Peasant Party.

Question 15

What happened with the Polish Communists July 1947?

Answer 15

The Polish Socialists and the Communists merged, and the Communists became the dominant group within this merger.

Question 16

Were all Polish Communists pro-Moscow?

Answer 16

Deputy Prime Minister Gomulka was not. He declared that because the Poles had fought for their own liberation they should have the right to determine their own future. He opposed Soviet policies, which he felt were irrelevant to Poland. In 1948 he was accused of ‘nationalist deviation’ and replaced by a compliant, pro-Stalinist, Bierut.

Question 17

Why were the communists in Romania popular?

Answer 17

Because they offered an alternative to the pre-War regime. Moreover the Red Army occupied Romania, meaning it was relatively easy for Stalin to install communism, with little opposition.

Question 18

How was communism installed in Bulgaria?

Answer 18

Gradualism, manipulated elections and the forced removal of opponents characterised the takeover. Strongest political opponent was the Agrian Party, led by Nikola Petlov, he was soon executed and his party was forcibly absorbed into the communist movement. By April 1947, all other political parties had been banned.

Question 19

How was communism installed in Hungary?

Answer 19

Communists used tactic of allying with other political groups to challenge the power of their opponent, the Smallholders Party. As in Poland, pol opponents were arrested, elections manipulated and rigged in order to produce the desired outcome for communists. As with Poland, many Hungarian communists did not display the loyalty to Moscow Stalin wanted and formed close links with Yugoslavia, where a non-Soviet regime was. 1949, Hungarian communist leader executed for ‘anti-Soviet’ activities, by 1949, all political opposition to the Moscow-backed Hungarian communists had disappeared.

Question 20

Why, in Czechoslovakia, were the communists popular among the rural peasants?

Answer 20

They had given them land at the end of the War. The Czech Communist party leader, Klement Gottwald, became PM.

Question 21

What error did the Czechoslovakia PM Klement Gottwald make in 1947?

Answer 21

He accepted Western economic aid in 1947.

Question 22

What was a problem in Czechoslovakia with the communist movement?

Answer 22

There was growing opposition to communist leadership from non-communist groups. However, members of these groups, who were in the government, resigned in 1948. This decision advantaged the communists as it enabled them to present it as an attempt to create an alternative right wing group. As a result, the highly respected President Edvard Benes agreed to support a communist-dominated government. Benes resigned in June 1948 and this left the pro-Moscow communists in complete control.

Question 23

What was Yugoslavia’s political status originally?

Answer 23

It was firmly embedded in the Soviet amp, the leader, Tito was a committed Stalinist. Unlike in many other Eastern European states, the communist movement in Yugoslavia was firmly in place when the war ended and its leader was seen as an iconic nationalist.

Question 24

What was Soviet influence in Yugoslavia like in 1948?

Answer 24

It was limited. This conflict between Stalin and Tito was based on Stalin’s determination to impose Soviet control over Southern and Eastern European states, particularly through their economic and foreign policies. Yugoslavs refused to become Ssoviet puppets.

Question 25

What happened to Yugoslavia in June 1948?

Answer 25

It was expelled from Cominform. Its leaders were accused o abandoning Marxist Leninism and thereby no longer conforming to an acceptable political position. It was able to survive because the USA was willing to offer economic aid.