soviet expansion in eastern europe Flashcards
what were stalins aims for eastern Europe
buffer zone
communist regimes and take over govs
safeguard soviet intrests
why did stalin believe he was owed land in eastern europe
was promised in % agreement
for the ussr ww2 sacrifice
when was the czechoslovakian crisis
february 1948
what’s the backround of the czech crisis
czech was the only democratic country left
communists expected to do badly in next election
why were communist’s expected to do bad in the next czech elections
collectivisation and rejection of western aid was unpopular
what did the coumunists mount in czech
a coup d’état
take over police
what happened to openents in czech crisis + eg
purjed,removed or replaced
eg masaryk defenestrated
pres benes replaced by gottwald
what was the significance of the czech crisis
confirmed fears of soviet expansionism
the bridge between east and west not communist
memory’s of ww2 appeasement
where else did the soviets influence
romania
bulgaria
hungary
yugoslavia
poland
what were the common methods in soviet expansion
manipulating elections
political rivals killed/imprisoned
other political party’s overtaken/banned
give an example where Stalin gradually used his power & influence in Eastern Europe to ensure Communists held key positions (‘levers of power’) in the provisional governments set up in after WW2.
poland
elections rigged but disguised as free elections
bulgaria-gradualism
give an example where Communist parties formed alliances with larger parties and then took complete control over them
bulgaria
agrarian party absorbed into communist party
give an example where Rival politicians were removed arrested or murdered and rival political parties banned
romaina-peasant party desolved and king micheal forced to abdicate
give an example where Stalin did not seek simply communists in power in these countries but governments loyal to the USSR and in line with their policies
yugoslavia
tito rejected soviet dominance and expelled from cominform 1948
