Soviet Control over Eastern Europe Flashcards
What was the purpose of Com-inform?
To coordinate the various governments in the USSR
How did Com-inform work?
They ran meetings and sent out instructions to communist governments about what the USSR’s orders were
When was Com-inform set up?
1947
What was the purpose of Com-Econ
to coordinate the industries and trade of the Eastern European countries
How did Com-Econ work?
- Members of Com-Econ were to trade with one another instead of the West
- This didn’t work and led to poverty as Comicon was biased to the USSR (it gave the USSR a market to sell its goods while receiving a supply of cheap raw materials)
What was the Red Army used for?
to control the people and intimidate them during “free elections”
What was the secret police / KGB used for?
to spy on people who went against the USSR and threaten them during “free elections”
What was Propaganda used for?
show Stalin/USSR as a godlike figure
What were the methods used by the USSR to control the Eastern Bloc countries (5)
Com-inform
Come-Econ
Red Army
Secret Police/KGB
Propaganda
What were impacts of USSR control on bloc countries (4)
- Loss of freedom/censored media/inability to criticize government
- Poverty due to unfair trade and lack of industry
- Economies were geared towards helping the USSR first
- No consumer goods
When did Stalin die
1953
Who came into power after Stalin
Nikita Khruschev
How was Khruschev different from Stalin/actions (6)
- Spoke badly of Stalin
- Wanted peaceful co-existence with the West
- Wanted to improve the lives of ordinary citizens
- Closed down com-inform
- Released thousands of political prisoners
- Allowed Poland to change leader to Wladyslaw Gomulka in 1956
when was comecon set up
1949
when did Khruschev come into power
1955
