Iron Curtain Flashcards
How did USSR take over Poland?
At the end of June 1945, a few London Poles had been let into the Lublin government (b/c Yalta) but it remained dominated by the Lublin Communists. The allied ‘recognised’ Poland as a Communist country in July 1945 and abandoned plans to make Poland independent and Capitalist. January 1947 - rigged elections held so Lublin government won by a huge majority. Poland officially became a communist country.
How did the USSR take over Romania?
The Red Army had swept into Romania in late 1944 and a communist-dominated coalition government was set up. In February 1945, a Soviet politician ordered the King of Romania to appoint a new Prime Minister chosen by Stalin. After being intimidated by Soviets, the King agreed and by mid-1945, the Soviets were in control of Romania. The monarchy was totally abolished in 1947.
How did the USSR take over Bulgaria?
The Red Army has entered Bulgaria in late 1944. In November 1945 elections were held. They were rigged so the Communist Party, the Fatherland Front, won a huge majority. In September 1946, the communist government abolished the old monarchy and took total control.
How did the USSR take over Hungary?
Stalin honoured the Yalta agreement and allowed free elections in November 1945. The communist party recieved less than 20% of the vote. The Smallholder’s Party (non-communist) won but Stalin ignored the wishes of the Hungarian people and imposed a strict government with communists in many important roles. New elections were held in August 1947 and were rigged so that the communists won a huge majority and an exclusively communist government took power in Autumn 1947. All non-Communist parties were banned by November 1947 and the Soviets had total control of Hungary.
How did the USSR take over Czechslovakia?
Stalin allowed the country to be run by a coalition of both Communists and Non-communists in 1945 because there was a strong local communist party in Czechoslovakia. Free elections were held in 1946 and the communists won 38% of the vote. The Prime Minister of the Coalition, Gottwald, was a communist and the President, Benes, and Foreign Minister, Jan Masaryk, were non-communists. There was an economic crisis in mid-1947. Elections were due to take place in May 1948 but the communists were scared they would do badly because of the worsening conditions so they seized power for themselves before the election. They used armed force and many non-communists in the coalition were arrested. Masaryk was murdered and many fled the country. Rigged elections were held in 1948 and the communists won a huge majority.
How did Winston Churchill respond to Stalin’s takeover of Eastern Europe?
1946 - ‘iron curtain’ speech
