KQ6: How secure was Soviet control over Eastern Europe, 1945-89? Flashcards
How did Stalin control Eastern Europe?
-Helped EE Communist parties win power and fill political vacuum left after war
-EE countries become one party states
-Uses Cominform to make them follow the same policies as the USSR
-Secret police root out opposition to Communist governments and USSR
-Soviet troops stationed in EE (justified by saying it was for restoring law and order)
-Rebuilds EE economies by following Soviet economic policies. Nationalises industries and central state planning. Uses Comecon to make sure they trade with USSR and promises aid to cooperating countries
-When Soviet control is threatened, USSR prepared to use military force
What did people in Eastern Europe think of Soviet control?
-Some hoped it would bring industrial growth, like that achieved by USSR before the war
-Pleased it provided stable government and security
-Many resented restrictions on travel to foreign countries, loss of freedom of speech and democracy
-Some economic recovery 1945-55, but people generally unhappy with economy - produced what USSR wanted not what people wanted, wages fell behind other countries (including USSR), shortages (coal, milk, meat), scarcity of consumer goods common in the west (e.g: radios, tvs)
-Frustrated by lack of ability to protest - demonstrations crushed (e.g: Soviet tanks killed 40 and wounded 400 in East Germany in 1953)
In which ways did Nikita Khrushchev differ from Stalin?
-Stalin died in 1953, Khrushchev became leader in 1955
-More relaxed
-Ended USSR’s feuds with China and Yugoslavia
-Talked of peaceful coexistence with the West
-Made plans to reduce expenditure on arms
-1955 attended first summit since 1945 with Br, Fr, USA and USSR
-Said he wanted to improve living standards for Soviet and EE citizens
-Released 1000s of political prisoners
-Agreed to withdraw Soviet troops from Austria
-Seemed to signal that he’d allow greater independence for EE countries
What was de-Stalinisation?
-Began with Khrushchev’s secret speech 1956 - denounced Stalin’s purges and described him as an evil tyrant. Then:
-Released more political prisoners
-Closing down of Cominform
-Invitation of Tito (leader of Yugoslavia) to Moscow
-Dismissal of Stalin’s former Foreign Minister Molotov
What was the Warsaw Pact?
-Set up by Khrushchev in 1955
-Used by USSR to continue aim of creating buffer against Western attack
-Military alliance - member states pledged to defend each other if one was attacked
-Included all Communist countries in EE, except Yug., dominated by USSR
How did Khrushchev deal with opposition in Poland in 1956?
-Polish demonstrators attacked the police, protesting because food prices increased but wages didn’t
-53 rioting workers killed by Polish Army
-Polish government could not control demonstrators, K moved Soviet troops to border
-October: K accepted appointment of new Polish leader Gomulka- leader of Communist resistance during war. He did not see eye to eye with Polish communists who’d been ultra loyal to Stalin. This move helped stabilise P
-Red army withdrew to P border and left P army and gov. to sort things out
How did opposition to Soviet control of Hungary begin?
Hungarians hated restrictions imposed by Rakosi’s hard-line Com. govt:
-Lack of freedom of speech
-Secret police
-Presence of Soviet troops
What events took place in Hungary 1956?
-June 1956: a group within Hungarian Com. party opposed Rakosi. Kremlin ordered Rakosi to retire
-Replaced by Gero, also not liked. Huge student demonstration in Oct 1956 resulted in Stalins statue pulled down
-USSR allowed well-respected Com. Imre Nagy to from a govt., and began to withdraw Soviet troops
-Thousand of local councils created to replace Soviet power
-Thousands of Hungarian troops defected from army to join rebels
-Nagy planned to hold free elections, create impartial courts, restore farmland to private ownership, get Soviet army entirely out of H, leave WP and declare H neutral country. Hoped Eisenhower would support this
How did USSR respond to Nagy’s planned reforms in Hungary?
-Seemed ready to accept some of the reforms, but would not allowed H to leave WP
-Nov 1956: thousand of Soviet troops and tanks moved into Budapest
-Hungarian uprising crushed after 2 weeks of bitter fighting
-About 3000 H and 7000-8000 R killed, and 200,000 H fled into Austria to escape S forces
-Western powers protested to USSR, but took no action (distracted by Suez crisis)
What were the results of the Hungarian uprising?
-Imre Nagy and other Hungarian leaders arrested and executed
-Khrushchev made Kadar new leader; he crushed all further resistance
-About 35,000 anti-Com. activists arrested and 300 executed
-Some of the reforms introduced; Hungary more free than before 1956
-Khrushchev would not allowed H to leave WP
Why did people want to leave East Germany in the 1950s?
-Thousands leaving EG via WB by the late 1950s
-After HU crushed, many decide the only way to escape Com. was to leave
-Political reasons: hated restrictions on freedom and lack of democracy
-Economic reasons: standards of living falling further behind those of West
-West deliberately made WB showcase for advantages of capitalism: shops, freedoms, wealth, variety. EB people couldn’t not notice these things
-Tempted to leave as it was easy to do; EG’s could move freely into WB
How did Khrushchev respond to people leaving East Germany?
-Worried: many leaving were highly skilled workers. ‘Brain drain’
-Didn’t want Com. undermined by thousands of G leaving for a better life under Cap.
-13 Oct 1961: EG soldiers erected barbed wire fence along border of EB and WB. Ended free movement between E and W
-Then replaced by concrete wall; all crossing points sealed except Checkpoint Charlie.
-Border guards given orders to shoot people trying to cross wall.
-Wall caused much chaos and confusion - families divided and Berliners unable to go to work
How did West react to the Berlin Wall?
-Oct 1961: US troops regularly went into EB via CC to see Soviet reactions
-27 Oct: Soviet tanks pulled up to CC and refused to allow further access to the East. US and Soviet tanks faced each other all day in a tense stand-off, though eventually pulled back
-West didn’t like the wall, but tolerated it. Kennedy: “it’s not a very nice solution, but a wall is a hell of a lot better than a war”
What was the significance of the Berlin Wall for the Communists?
Protective shell around East Berlin
What was the significance of the Berlin Wall for the West?
A prison wall
