Soviet Control Over Eastern Europe

Question 1

What was Hungary like 1956?

Answer 1

• Key Eastern European country that had Become a satellite nation of the Soviet union.
• It was a member of COMECON and the Warsaw Pact both of which gave the Soviet Union strong control over hungry

Question 2

What was the Warsaw Pact and COMECON?

Answer 2

WARSAW PACT
-Military alliance of eastern block
-Countries led by the Soviets (1955)

COMECON
-Council of mutual economic assistance led by the Soviets (1949) which gave the USSR economic power over satellite countries

Question 3

What does the uprising in Hungary suggest about soviet control over Eastern Europe?

Answer 3

• It was a revolution from below, meaning the people themselves wanted change and were discontent and willing to do something about it.
• Many deaths were suffered on BOTH sides, showing that Hungary was making a dent in the USSR’s control over Eastern Europe.
• Wanted to leave the Warsaw Pact that had just recently been made in 1955 which was a huge threat. If they did this successfully, the USSR would be humiliated.

Question 4

What does the uprising in Czechoslovakia suggest about soviet control over Eastern Europe?

Answer 4

• Lead my political leaders eager to reform communism which suggests that even they can begin to recognise the faults of Communism
• It was more realistic and they couldn’t take Dubcek out of power due to his popularity which shows lack of control.

Question 5

Why was there resentment against the USSR in Hungary?

Answer 5

• People want freedom of speech
• State-run farms mean there is shortage of consumer goods as it goes to Russia
• USSR focus efforts in factories to make weapons and focus on industry Instead of consumer goods
• Agriculture is controlled by the government Meaning crops are sold at unfair prices
• There is a ban on religion
• The military is not their own 
• officials and soldiers are sent into the country but the people have to pay for it

Question 6

What encouraged the Hungarian uprising?

Answer 6

• Eisenhower become president of the USA 1953 ->People believed he would help them after he made a supportive comment in his speech.
• Stalin’s death in 1953 and Khrushchev’s ‘secret speech’ -> when Stalin died, Russia tried to move away from some of his policies including the more brutal aspects. The new leader Khrushchev refused to allow the arrest of 400 political opponents in Hungary.
• Events in Poland -> Workers in Poland had risen against Soviet rule and after a few weeks Russia gave in to some demands. This gave people hope that the same could happen in Hungary.

Question 7

What happened during the uprising ?

Answer 7

• In October 1956 students in the capital Budapest began to riot and the authorities opened fire on the students.
• Soviet troops took to the streets and Hungarian secret police support of the authorities.
• Hundreds of Hungarian workers and soldiers joined the riots and Imre Nagi was appointed prime minister for the Hungarian Communist Party.
• he asked Krushchev to remove the Soviet troops and also promised free elections which at first Krushchev agreed to as he wanted to avoid bloodshed.
• However Nagi continued to push and introduce democracy freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Political prisoners were released and Nagi stated that Hungary was going to withdraw from the Warsaw Pact and appealed to the UN to help resolve the crisis.
  -This pushed Khrushchev over the edge and he sent 1000 Soviet tanks into Budapest on the 4th of November.
• there was bloodshed and 30,000 Hungarians were killed another 200,000 refugees fled to the west and the UN took no action.
• Soviets oversaw the appointment of a new leader of Hungary, Janos Kadar who promised that Nagi and his supporters could leave hungry but they were kidnapped tried for treason and executed.

Question 8

Why did Khrushchev see the Hungarian rising as a serious threat to the Soviet unions control over Eastern Europe?

Answer 8

• Other satellite countries might be inspired by hungry and follow them
• Takes Soviet control away
• Warsaw pact had just been created in 1955 and if Hungary left it the USSR would be left looking weak.
• Khrushchev believed that if freedom of speech and three elections were allowed the people would vote for non-Communist government.
  

Question 9

How did Alexander Dubcek rise to power in 1968?

Answer 9

• living standards and wages fell in Czechoslovakia but the previous leader Novotyn was unwilling to distance to Czechoslovakia from the hardline communist way.
• 1967 he crackdown increasing censorship and arresting opponents making him even more unpopular which led to the Communist party eventually sacking him and hiring to Dubcek as they feared losing power.

Question 10

Why did Dubcek believe the check economy needed reforming?

Answer 10

• Because the emphasis was on heavy industry rather than consumer goods and on collective farming.
• The Iron Curtain also week and the economy as it prevented them trading with the neighbours

Question 11

What did Dubcek believe the job of the government was and what reforms did he promise?

Answer 11

• Dubcek Believe the job of the government was to respond to the needs of the people
• Dubcek got rid of other hard-line Communist in his party and relax censorship .
• He issued an action program of plans for reform which included a line minor party join the government giving people more democratic rights
• He also allowed equal rights to the Slovaks and farmers were made independent

Question 12

Why did Dubcek make it clear Czechoslovakia did not want to leave the Warsaw Pact?

Answer 12

• He witnessed the events in Hungary I knew that there would be violent consequences if the Soviet Union believed he was straying from communism
•  he made it clear that Czechoslovakia was not turning to capitalism but rather reforming communism.

Question 13

How did Leonid Brezhnev resolve the problem of the Prague Spring?

Answer 13

• Brezhnev sent a message to Dubcek warning him to end his antisocialist program but Dubcek reassured him that he would not leave the Warsaw Pact and that his reforms were not in danger other countries.
• 21st August 1968 Soviet troops invaded Czechoslovakia.
• There was little violence as the government advised people to only passively resist.
• Within a few days the country was under occupation and Dubcek was under arrest.
• Because of his popularity he was allowed to stay in power for some time but was demoted and then expelled from the Communist Party.
  

Question 14

What was the Brezhnev Doctorine?

Answer 14

• After the Prague spring Brezhnev made play what would happen to countries he tried to follow Czechoslovakia’s example.
• He said that if other countries started to stray from communism, other Communist countries would take action to stop it.
• This was known as the Brezhnev doctrine.

Question 15

What impact did the Prague spring have on Communist control over Eastern Europe?

Answer 15

• Sent a clear signal to the rest of the satellite countries that the USSR would resist any attempt to break away from communism and shows that criminals can’t be changed or formed.
• It showed the world that satellite countries did not want to be Communist and wanted to break free from Soviet control.
• It showed weaknesses in Soviet control as they weren’t able to get rid of Dubcek straight away, As his popularity in the country protected him.

Question 16

Which country presented a bigger threat to Soviet control over Eastern Europe?

Answer 16

HUNGARY WAS MORE OF A THREAT
- More violence and actual fighting and there were loses on both sides.
- There was little resistance in Czechoslovakia
- A revolution from below
- The situation in Hungary was discussed in the UN
- Nagys plans were more ambitious and threatening
- Wanted to leave the Warsaw Pact

CZECHOSLOVAKIA WAS MORE OF A THREAT
- Nagy was executed while Dubcek was too popular to be taken out of power to quickly.
- USSR don’t use sanctions
- There is criticism of corrupt Czech leaders
- Censorship was eased
- Worried enough by uprising to create doctrine
- Communist government unhappy with communism
- more organised and therefore more realistic and likely to happen

Question 17

What was the Berlin Wall?

Answer 17

• On 12 August 1961 a record 4008 the Germans made their way into West Berlin start new life in the west.
• In the small hours of 13 August so Soviet and East German shock workers close the borders between the Soviet and western sectors and put Barbwire across the street.
• Three Days later the East Germans began to replace the Barbwire with a wall of concrete blocks.
• When the wall was finished West Berlin was surrounded by a 4 m high and 111 km long wall Where is 300 watchtowers and 50 bunkers.

Question 18

Why was the Berlin Wall put up?

Answer 18

• Many people were emigrating to West Berlin because of the ‘economic miracle’ there
•  This resulted in the brain drain where young educated skilled workers and intellectuals leftEastern Germany in search of a better life in the West where there were consumer goods and more opportunities due to its strong economy.
• This was weakening eastern Germany as one sixth of its population had left and left the country without their skills and eventually factories hospitals schools and offices would gradually grind to a halt.
• This was very embarrassing is the Soviet Union
• East Germans claimed that they did this because enemy agents have been using West Berlin as the centre of spying operations against East Germany and the Soviet Union.
• It was a weakness in the iron curtain

Question 19

What did the Berlin Wall say about Soviet control over Eastern Europe?

Answer 19

• In eastern Germany had to put up a wall to stop their own people from leaving their country showing how weak their control was.

Question 20

Why did people want to leave East Berlin?

Answer 20

• A quarter of its industrial output was going to Soviet Union but East Germans continue to suffer from food and housing shortages low wages and poor living standards.
• The Soviets continued to take reparations from it to repair their own water damage.
• West Berlin however,was quickly rebuilding their war-damaged country and outputs and trade grew as well as living standards improving dramatically.

Question 21

How did ‘Solidarity’ form?

Answer 21

• In 1980 there was an economic crisis in Poland and the price of goods including food went up while limits were imposed prevent any rising wages.
• There were protests in the ports Gdansk led by Lech Walesa, an electrician who demanded the right to form a trade union.
• Alarmed the Polish government gave into these demands in August 1981 and allowed workers the form trade unions that were independent of government control.
• This led to the formation of solidarity which was a nationwide independent trade union. It was the first non-Communist trade union in Soviet controlled Eastern Europe and within months it had over 9 million members.
• December 1981 the Polish government suspended Solidarity as it appeared to undermine Soviet influence in Poland and possibly Eastern Europe
• This led to the arrest of the leading members as it was declared illegal

Question 22

Why did solidarity succeed in protest in Soviet control when other countries had failed?

Answer 22

• Organisation: It had a committee, official spokesman and the newspaper that spread its message for out the country.
• Demands: The 21 demands were abroad nationwide issues that affected everyone in Poland not just workers. This gained its enormous support.
• Methods: It’s never use violence against government, fear in the harsh reprisals that would follow if it did.
• Support: Between 1980 and 1981, 10 million people joined it. 80% of Poland workforce were members.

Question 23

What were Gorbachev’s two Main policies?

Answer 23

GLASNOST (Openness):
-Increase in free speech and a reduction in censorship
-more freedom for the media
-Criticism of the government was allowed
-Opponents of the government were allowed to return to the USSR
-None communists were allowed to stand for election
-Government corruption was reported in the media
-The brutality is committed by previous Soviet rule as was allowed to be revealed

PERESTROIKA (restructuring):
-Encouraged private ownership of Soviet industry and agriculture
-introduced private profit and competition in industry
-Increase in the production and trade of consumer goods
-Allowing trade with non-Eastern Block countries
-Allowing foreign investment in Russian businesses
Huge state industries were split into smaller private companies

Question 24

What were the aims of his policies?

Answer 24

-Glasnost (Openness) - He wanted more people involved in political process so that they felt like they had a share and making decisions. He did this to restore their faith in communism.

-Perestroika (restructuring) - He believed these reforms that would make the backward and failing Soviet economy more modern and efficient.

Question 25

What did Gorbachev do with eastern Europe?

Answer 25

-He made it clear these countries could follow their own economic policy and he would not stand in the way of Eastern Europe having the same reforms, allowing them to become more democratic. He clarified that the Soviet army would not be used to enforce control of them.



Question 26

What was Gorbachev’s purpose in his involvement with Eastern Europe?

Answer 26

• Gorbachev believe the USSR was out of date in force of a controlling other countries and that people should have a say in ruled them.
• The Soviet economy – along with those in Eastern Europe – were feeling and falling apart. Food shortages are common and the wartime system of food cards with reintroduced in the late 1980s. The Soviet economy could no longer support the economy in Europe.
• Gorbachev’s priority was your form in the Soviet union and not to waste his efforts on satellite countries. Additionally the USSR could no longer afford to maintain its military presence throughout Eastern Europe.

Question 27

What were the consequences of Gorbachev’s reforms in eastern Europe?

Answer 27

• He had abandoned the Brezhnev doctrine.
• Communist leaders in Eastern Europe had no choice but to relax the rules and listen to the man is on the people.

Question 28

How did Gorbachev change Poland?

Answer 28

• Led to the release of hundreds of political prisoners connected with solidarity
• It did not improve Poland’s Dreadful economic situation and in 1988 food costs increased by 40% and there were many strikes.
• The Polish government had no choice but to negotiate with solidarity and met with Lech Wales
• In 1989 solidarity with the legalised and was allowed field candidates in the upcoming elections for parliament.
• it was on every seat it contested and a member of solidarity became the first non-Communist president in Eastern Europe.

Question 29

How did Gorbachev change Hungary?

Answer 29

• Parliament adopted a “democracy package” which included trade Union rights, personal freedoms, a less restrictive press, more voting rights, and an acknowledgment that the uprising of 1956 was a popular movement.

Question 30

How did Gorbachev change East Germany?

Answer 30

• The government refused to adopt Gorbachev‘s reforms in thousands fled to the west through Hungary’s open border with Austria.
• There were many protest marches and demonstrations due to the refusal to implement reforms.
• Gorbachev visited a form and protesters were inspired. Over the Communist government still refused it was under such pressure that it was forced to resign November 1989.
• An official mistakenly announced an end to travel restrictions and crowds gathered at the Berlin Wall and began pulling it down.
• The first free elections were held in March 1990 and the same year east and west Germany were reunited.

Question 31

How did Gorbachev change Romania?

Answer 31

• Communist leader Nikolai Ceasescu refuses to implement reforms and prepared to resist popular protest with armed force
• When he ordered troops opened fire on protesters the troops refused and he fled the country.
• Free elections were held in 1990.

Question 32

How did Gorbachev change every other Satellite nation?

Answer 32

-between spring 1989 and spring 1991 every country in Eastern Europe held Democratic Parliamentary elections. So if you control was over the Iron Curtain had collapsed.

Question 33

What are the factors led to the collapse of the Soviet control?

Answer 33

WAR IN AFGHANISTAN:
- The Soviet union had invaded Afghanistan in 1979 however, the Soviets were caught in a gorilla war they could not win.
-The costs drain the Soviet Union and damage the USSR‘ S worldwide reputation.
-It damage the morale of the Soviet military.

THE USA AND PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN:
- Reagan wanted to end the Cold War and so increased US military spending by a third and hence to a level that the soviet economy could not match.
- The USSR could no longer compete in the arms race and had to resort to another way of finding peace, through diplomacy. Together the two signed treaties to limit nuclear weapons and encouraged people led movements.

Question 34

How was solidarity shut down?

Answer 34

• in December 1981 the government declared against the law. The Polish prime minister claimed the leaders of solidarity were planning to seize power.
• Most of solidarity is leaders were arrested including Lech Walesa
• Solidarity was declared illegal to shut down

Question 35

How significant was solidarity for the decline of Soviet influence in Eastern Europe?

Answer 35

• It was significant as it was highly organised movement that temporarily inspired the rest of Soviet controlled eastern Europe, showing there was a chance of success.
• It showed opposition to Soviet Control , the lack of personal freedom in communist countries and the backwardness of communist economies.
• However it was easily destroyed by the government and its armed forces and was only able to return and flourish because of Gorbachev’s policies.
• Solidarity winning so many seats in parliament elections and form the first non-Communist government in Eastern Europe is highly significant in undermining Soviet influence but could not have been down without Gorbachev.