National Minorities Under The Communists Flashcards
What treaty gave Poland independence
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk 1918
What were the aims of Lenin in the Russo-Polish War
-Lenin believed by invading Poland he would be able to free workers from their tyranny and having a knock on effect for the proletariat in neighbouring states
What territories would Russia lose after the Russo-Polish War
-Western Ukraine
-Western Belorussia
What treaty split up Poland between Germany and Russia
Molotov-Ribbentrop pact
What did the Yalta conference establish for Poland
-Russia regained western Ukraine and Belorussia
-Poland would be governed by a Stalinist style government
Who did Khruschev release from prison to govern Poland
1956 Gomulka
What reforms did Khrushchev bring to Poland
-Peasants allowed to leave collective farms
-Catholic church could teach religion in schools
-Overall easing of control over the Polish people
What states gained independence under the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
-Poland
-The Baltic states (Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia)
-Ukraine
-Finland
-Georgia
What was the Winter War 1939-40
-Finland refused to let Soviet bases be established in Finnish territory
-Russia invaded starting the Winter War
-Russia suffered heavy casualties of 50,000 deaths highlighting Russian military weakness
-Finland ceded border space to the Russians
How were relations with Finland after the Second World War
-Signed a Treaty of Friendship, Co operation and Mutual Assistance (1948)
-Finns gained neutrality status and left alone by the Soviet Union
Why was Ukraine important to Russia
-Significant grain producing area
-Warm water ports of Crimea
-Acted as a potential buffer to invasion
Why did the Ukrainians suffer heavily under the purges
-Vehemently opposed the collectivisation program so they were accused of being Kulaks causing many peasants to suffer under the Purges
What happened to many Ukrainians after the Second World War
Many Ukrainians were accused of being German collaborators and those found guilty were either executed or exiled to the far north
How were the Jews treated by the Communists
-“Special” settlements established in the 1930’s
-WW2 Jewish religion and institutions banned
-Doctors’ Plot of 1952 saw 15 Jewish leaders tried and executed
-Khrushchev saw a number of prominent Jewish technical specialists executed for anti communist activity
When were the Baltic states incorporated into the USSR
Early years of WW2 from 1939-41
What happened to the Baltic states in the latter half of WW2
Mass deportations due to fears that many were collaborating with the Nazis
What concessions did the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk result in
-A third of agricultural land
-A third of all railway track
-A third of the Russian population
-Two thirds of coalmines
-Half of heavy industry
-Nearly all available oil
-Most of cotton textile production
What did Stalin use Central Asia for
As a dumping ground for groups that needed punishing such as the Crimean Tatars
In what ways did the communists appear sensitive to the wants and needs of Central Asia
-Implementation of separate constitutions
-1957 Decree on the Rehabilitation of Deported Peoples allowing many deported groups to return home excluding the Volga Germans and Meskhetians
Why was the Virgin Land Scheme unpopular with the indigenous people of Central Asia
They felt swamped by the immigrants looking to take land they needed for their nomadic lifestyle
What were relations like between Tito and Stalin
-Tito objected to stalinist centralised government
-As a result of non compliance Yugoslavia expelled from Cominform 1948 alongside economic aid cut
-Relations remained frosty until Stalin’s death
What were relations like with Tito under Khruschev
-1955 Khruschev visited Yugoslavia to repair relations
-1956 Khruschev abandoned Cominform
-This established cordial relations between the two
What were the populations of the various ethnic groups in Czechoslovakia
-6.5 million Czechs
-2.5 million Slovaks
-3 million Germans
-700,000 Hungarians
-500,000 Ruthenians
-100,000 Poles
-Pockets of Romanians and Jews
What happened to Czechoslovakia after WW2
-Free elections held 1946 creating a coalition government with the communists gaining a third of the votes
-Gottwald elected as prime minister (a communist) party yipee other positions given to non communists (Beneš became president)
-Coalition government pushed to develop trade with the West and gain a share of the Marshall plan
Why did the communists seize power in Czechoslovakia in 1948
-Communists we’re losing support from the people due to their rejection of Marshall aid
-Had lost the cooperation of non communist Cabinet members
-Non communists were not united in opposition
-Communists controlled the police, military and trade unions
-Encouraged by Stalin to take over as Russia was worried about Czechoslovakia accepting American aid (“dollar imperialism”
What were the results of the Czechoslovakian coup
-Rigged elections ensured the last election of communists ministers who obeyed orders from Stalin
-Beneš resigned
-Antagonised the west showing Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” and leading to the eventual establishment of NATO
-Heightened Cold War tensions
What happened to Hungary after WW2
-“free elections” established and despite communists gaining a fifth of the votes communists dominated the Cabinet
-Hungarian communists were not all pro Stalin resilient in by 1949 a quarter of a million Communist Party members had been expelled with many higher ups imprisoned or tortured
-Hungary governed by Stalinist leader Rákosi
What happened to Hungary after Stalin’s death
-Rákosi replaced by more moderate Nagy
-1955 Rákosi overture Nagy to the dissatisfaction of Hungarians
-Tito convinced Khruschev to replace Rákosi with more liberal Gero
-Appointment of Gero resulted in unrest leading to Hungarian uprising of 1956
How did the Hungarian uprising unfold
-23 October huge demonstrations took place in Budapest
-Khruschev reacted by sending 30,000 troops and tanks to quell the unrest
-Gero was replaced by Nagy
-30 October Khruschev promised to negotiate agreements over Soviet influence, Soviet troops withdrew from Hungary
-Nagy took advantage of this calling for communists to share power and Hungary to leave the Warsaw pact
-Suez crisis alongside the rising worried Khruschev that the West may think Soviet power was in the wane so 4 November troops occupied Hungary installing pro Soviet Kádár
What were the results of the Hungarian Uprising
-Khruschev sent a clear message to Eastern European countries that he was unwilling to lessen Soviet involvement
-The West realised Khruschev was willing to risk global conflict to maintain authority over Hungary making them unwilling to intervene
-Resulted in a temporary easing of relations with Mao
What happened to Germany after WW2
-Split between four zones of control of France, USA, UK and Russia established by Yalta
-Potsdam established a policy of denazification and demilitarisation of Germany
-Russians demanded very harsh treatment on reparations to Germany in their zone
-East Germany established in 1949
Why did relations deteriorate with th west over Germany
-Allies disagreed on how harsh reparations should be
-1946 shifted his position on germany claiming all of Germany
-1947 the West began merging their zones significantly antagonising the Russians
-1948 Western allies introduced the Deutschmark with Soviets countering this by producing the Ostmark and blockaded west berlin
-Berlin airlift resulted in the West flying over food and raw materials forcing Stalin to end the blockade
What was Cominform?
Promoting ideological unity among communist parties in Europe.
What was the Comintern?
Communist International Body.
Spread Communism overseas.
What was the Truman Doctrine?
Giving aid to any country fighting communism.
How was communism introduced in Romania after the Second World War.
After Nazis removed a coalition government was formed with majority communist seats.
Soviet Union forced king to appoint communist prime minister.
In a few months communists controlled the country.
Monarchy abolished 1947.
How was communism established in Bulgaria?
Coalition government formed. Majority communist.
Rigged elections in 1945.
Executed political leaders.
Abolished Monarchy 1946.
What was different to the communists rise to power in Albanias?
Communists rose to power easily.
Faced little opposition.
Why was Greece an exception to the other Eastern states?
Communists unsuccessful.
Civil War between royalists and communists.
UK and USA supported royalists.
Stalin didn’t help communists.
1949 communists defeated.
How was communism introduced in Yugoslavia?
Elections in 1945.
Marshall Tito elected.
How was Tito able to control Yugoslavia successfully after the withdrawal of Cominform?
Trade relations with the west.
International Monetary Fund.
What was the Marshall Plan?
A programme to help European recovery after the Second World War. USA assisted.
