Poland Flashcards
WW2 consequences for Poland
1939 - Russia and wear invaded 1941 - Germany invaded Many Jews in concentration camps Millions killed (22% of population) Lost: - 1/3 housing - many schools - most railways and ports
How did Poland become involved in WW2?
September 1, 1939, Russia invaded Poland in accordance with the Molotov-Ribbetrop pact
Influence and popularity of communism on Poland?
2 types of poles:
- London poles (UK)
- Lublin poles (Russia)
1940 - Katyn massacre
1944 - Anti-Russian feeling because of stalin’s failure to support the home army
1945 - polish border was shifted so Russia could take back land Poland had won in 1920
Katyn massacre
1940; USSR murdured polish intellectuals
How was communism established in Poland?
Occupation army where Stalin instituted sovietism, killing 40,000 poles in the process
Why was soviet influence challenged in Poland between 1945-1960?
Lost land to SU communist methods of control Resentment at lack of independence Religion (catholic v. Communism) Polish-Russian hostility Lack of communists
Historic polish-Russian hostility
1700s - Poland was partitioned by an absorbed into it’s neighboring states if Prussia, Russia, and Austria
*hostility to the Catholic Church from the orthodoxy in Russia, leading to wars and executions
Unpopularity of communism in Poland
- lack of independence
- before elections, communists arrested 142 candidates and 1,000s of non-communists
- resentment against communist lack of religion
- cultural changes
Soviet actions in ww2 towards Poland
1939 - invasion of Poland by USSR
1939-1941 - sovietization
1940 - katyn massacre (5,000 polish officers were murdered)
July 1943 - USSR broke off relations with London poles; Warsaw rising
Sovietization
“To establish communist rule and suppress potential enemies in Poland”
- almost 40,000 poles died during the soviet occupation
Khrushchev’s secret speech
- a speech before 20% communist congress, demonizing Stalin
- led to open criticism of SU and communism
- clashes between Stalinists and liberal communists
- was one of the contributing factors of the Polish October
- Gomułka was brought to power
Polish economic problems 1956 timeline
Wage cuts strikes and riots in Poznan Workers shot by military Collectivization cancelled Gomułka leads reformist government Wage cuts reversed catholic church allowed some freedom "Successful half-revolution"
Poland 1970 economic problems
- government announced food price rises of 36%
- workers in Gdansk shipyard go on strike
- military crackdown (75 workers shot)
- protests increase (workers demand right to organize free trade union)
Poland 1970 results
- Gomułka replaced by gierek
- government reverses food prices
- economy sustained by W. loans
- 1973 oil crisis increases demand for polish goods
- long term economic decline
Poland 1980 economically
- international debt
- food prices rise
Poland 1980 politically
Protests against sacking of a popular trade unionist leader
Poland 1080 religiously
Polish pope john-Paul 2 encouraged opposition
Solidarity
Independent trade union
In Gdansk shipyard 1980
By lech walesa
Had 21 demands
What did solidarity achieve in 1980-1981?
- established mass union of 10 million workers
- gained legal recognition as an independent (non-party) trade union
- maintained peaceful methods
- demonstrated the power of the strike to force economic and political concessions from the government
- became a powerful opposition movement in a “one party state”
Why did general Jaruzelski impose martial law in 1981?
- solidarity was threatening the power of the communist party
- solidarity’s “October program” offered support for everyone
- walesa opposed this program but radicals within solidarity wanted to push or rapid change
- economic crisis continued with falling standards of living and strikes
- Poland was on the edge of chaos
- *if Jaruzelski didn’t act maybe the SU would??**
Who is general Jaruzelski?
The last leader of Poland under communism