Soviet hegemony and American containment (S1.2/3) Flashcards
What were the three general parties that Stalin aimed to be in coalitions with in each country, as the basis for international communist politics?
- Communists
- Peasant parties
- Social Democrats / socialists
Why did Stalin want to be in coalition with three parties originally?
Stalin thought this would be more acceptable to the West than immediately installing Communist-led one-party states.
What were ‘salami tactics’?
- Supporting local communist parties in Eastern European countries to gradually infiltrate key areas of power, such as the government, military and police.
> Done step-by-step, rather than a sudden takeover, which may have provoked international attention
What was the process of ‘salami tactics’?
- Form coalition government
- Undermine opposition through arrests, purges and intimidation
- Monopolise power
- Establish single party rule
Who is Petru Groza?
Groza becomes PM in March 1945, representing the Ploughmen’s Front, a party closely associated with the Communists
What were the relations between Groza and King Michael in Romania?
- King Michael attempted to force Groza’s resignation by refusing to give royal assent, yet Groza simply chose to enact laws without this.
- Despite the King’s disapproval, Groza brought land reform and women’s suffrage
What happened in November 1945 in Romania?
November 1945; anti-communist demonstration at the Royal Palace in Bucharest ends with dozens killed/wounded
What was the result of the November 1946 election in Romania?
Communist-led BPD claimed 84% of the vote
> Elections characterised by widespread irregularities, including intimidation, electoral fraud and assassinations.
What happened on the 30th December 1947 in Romania?
- King Michael was summoned to Bucharest and presented with a pre-typed letter of abdication, and was demanded to sign it
- Forced to sign as Groza held a gun on him, pro-Communist troops had surrounded his palace and his telephone lines were cut
- Parliament abolished the monarchy and proclaimed Romania as a People’s Republic
How did the Soviet Union intervene in Hungary originally, and why was this done?
- Intervened through force resulting in a puppet government, which;
> Disregarded the democratically elected Tildy and Nagy
> Imposed restrictive measures
> Established the secret police
> Intimidated, falsely accused, imprisoned and tortured opponents
What was the result of the August 1947 election in Hungary?
- Communists became the largest party but were short of a majority
What happened in 1948, which set the Communists up for the May 1949 election?
- Communists merged with the Social Democcrats and by December, had appointed openly pro-Communist Dobi
> May 1949 election had a single list of parties on a common programme
When was the Prague Coup, and what happened?
- February 1948
> Cabinet broke up; Benes (President) gave in and Communists assumed control
> Masaryk (Foreign Minister) defenestrated in March 1948
What happened in August 1949 in Hungary?
- New constitution passed (identical to Soviet constitution)
> Declared ‘People’s Republic of Hungary’
What are two factors which helped a rise in popularity for communist parties in France and Italy?
- Communists had been predominant to resistance to Nazism
- Economic crisis post-WWII which discredited capitalism
What happened in the May 1946 elections in Czechoslovakia?
- Communists won 38% of the vote
> Gottwald becomes PM
How many seats did the PCF (French Communist Party) win in November 1946?
182 seats, becoming the largest party in Parliament.
By how much did the PCI’s (Italian Communist Party) membership increase, from 1943 to the end of 1945?
1943 = 5,000
End of 1945 = 1.7 million
What government was established in 1945 in Poland?
The pro-Stalin ‘Lublin Government’
> Imposed a pluralist party approach in June 1945
Why did the Communists fail in Western Europe?
- Stalin held these parties back from seizing power (“dangerous misadventure” - Molotov)
> Both parties ousted from Parliament in 1949.
In January 1947, what happened in Poland?
Leading communist and peasant parties combined, with the communists becoming the dominant group within this merger.
What happened in 1948 in Poland?
Gomulka (Deputy PM) who opposed Soviet policies was replaced, accused of ‘nationalist deviation’.
What happened in Bulgaria, which ended up in the formation of a sole communist party by April 1947?
- Leader of leading opposition party was falsely accused and executed; party was forcibly absorbed into the Bulgarian communist movement
> By April 1947, all other political parties were banned.
What were the five main satellite states for the USSR?
- Poland
- Czechoslovakia
- Hungary
- Romania
- Bulgaria
Who was George Kennan and when/what did he write?
American diplomat in Moscow
> Long Telegram wrote in February 1946
What was the influence of the Long Telegram and what did it effectively state?
Highly influential document which shaped US policy towards the USSR in the early years of the Cold War
> Propagated Soviet hostility, the Soviet need for external enemies, their expansionist ideology, their caution and opportunism, and he recommended the policy of containment.
When and where was Churchill’s ‘Iron Curtain’ speech?
March 1946
Fulton, Missouri (Truman’s hometown)
What did Churchill’s ‘Iron Curtain’ speech advocate for?
The Iron Curtain metaphor, propagated soviet expansion and control, called for Anglo-American Unity and appealed for strength and firmness
> Promoted the UN
> Propagated the importance of peace through deterrence
What sparked US involvement in the Greek Civil War, and when did this happen?
February 1947
> Britain announces it can no longer afford to help the Greek government, and appeals to the US to shoulder the financial burdern.
What did US help in the Greek Civil War come in the form of?
Truman Doctrine (March 1947)
What was the Truman Doctrine, and containment?
Preventing further expansion of USSR influence and applying pressure onto the Soviets, creating a ‘united front’ and ensuring continued growth of the West, and especially the US.
What theory was arguably implemented through the Truman Doctrine, and why?
Domino theory
> Instability in the Mediterranean meant that fears that if Greece fell, Turkey could fall to (and vice versa) to communism.
How much was given to Greece and Turkey through the Truman Doctrine?
About $400 million dollars
> $300m to Greece, $100m to Turkey
What was the Cominform, and when was it launched?
September 1947
> The purpose of Cominform was to unite and coordinate communist groups throughout Europe under the direction of Moscow.
Why was Cominform established?
Cominform was established in response to analysis over the view that ‘two camps’ had emerged (US and USSR)
What was the Zhdanov Doctrine, and who was he?
The view that the world was divided into two camps; imperialists (led by USA) and democrats (led by USSR)
> Zhdanov was a Soviet leader and key speaker
Who was Tito?
Tito was the leader of Yugoslavia
> Originally a committed Stalinist and nationalist
Why was Stalin in disagreement with Tito?
Disagreed on Tito’s model of Communism, the Greek Civil War, and the idea of the Balkan Federation (between Bulgaria and Yugoslavia)
What happened in June 1948, between Stalin and Tito?
Breach in relations becomes public knowledge, and Yugoslavia is expelled from the Cominform
> Tito was branded as a heretic
What happened to communist leaders Gomulka and Nagy, and why?
Removed from office, as they thought they ccould follow their own socialist policy, independent from Stalinism.
What happened to Hungarian minister Rajk and other leading communists?
Leading communists (i.e. Rajk) were subjected to torture, humiliation, showtrials and execution
How many communists were imprisoned across the satellite states between 1948 and 1952?
250,000.
Who was Dean Acheson?
US Secretary of State from 1949 to 1953
> Architect of the Marshall Plan and key role in formulation of American policy in Europe
What was unveiled in June 1947?
Marshall Plan (European Recovery Program)
How much money was involved in the Marshall Plan, and to how many countries?
$13.5 billion to 16 countries in Europe
> Britain received the most (special relationship)
What were the conditions of the Marshall Plan?
- Much of the money was spent on importing goods from the USA
> Recipients were also required to share economic information with the USA
> Vision rested in the creation of creating a single market in Europe
How did the Soviet Union see the Marshall Plan?
- Economic imperialism
> Believed it could spread to Eastern Europe and undermine their influence.
What happened in July 1947?
- Soviet Union walked out of the Paris Peace Conference, labelling the Marshall Plan as ‘dollar imperialism’
> Later established Cominform in September 1947
What did the PCF launch in Nov-Dec 1947?
Large anti-Marshall Plan strikes in France, with more than 2 million workers involved
What was founded in January 1949 by the Soviets?
Comecon (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance)
What was Comecon, and why was it formed?
An economic organisation, comprising of the Eastern Bloc
> Comecon was the Eastern Bloc’s response to the formation in Western Europe of the Marshall Plan and the OEEC.
