Cominform and Comecon

Question 1

What was Cominform?

Answer 1

• Stalin saw the Truman Doctrine as a direct threat to communism
• he created the Communist Information Bureau (Cominform) to ensure unity in Eastern Europe
• all Cominform member countries would meet regularly in Moscow to ensure that they were all following the same policies

Question 2

What was Comecon?

Answer 2

• Stalin saw the Marshall Plan as an example of ‘dollar imperialism’ by the USA. He thought that the USA gained power over countries that accepted their aid and was fearful that they were using this power for world domination
• he made it clear that Eastern European countries should not accept any Marshall Aid from America
• in 1949, he created Comecon, a Soviet alternative to Marshall Aid. Countries who signed up to Comecon were agreeing to work together and share resources in what was officially a union of equal partners
• in reality, all decisions were made in Moscow

Question 3

Why was Yugoslavia a problem for Stalin?

Answer 3

Unlike other Eastern European countries, Yugoslavia did not owe its freedom from the Nazis to the Red Army, so it’s leader, Tito, did not have any loyalty to Stalin.

• Tito was unwilling to follow all of Stalin’s instructions. He saw Yugoslavia as an independent country
• in 1948, Tito accepted Marshall Aid, something that Stalin had specifically forbidden. Yugoslavia was the only communist country to do so.
• Yugoslavia then became a communist country that was not behind the iron curtain.