Soviet takeover of eastern Europe Flashcards
How had Stalin maintained power in the USSR during the 1930s?
By purging (killing or removing) any political opponents
By 1940, how many Soviet citizens had Stalin killed just to maintain his power?
An estimated 10-11 million (according to Gaddis)
How did the Red Army behave in Germany?
Brutally - with violence and mass rapes against the German people
Who effectively ran the Soviet sector of Germany?
The Red Army
How did Communists come to power in Bulgaria?
Communists were elected as part of a coalition in 1945. They then executed the leaders of other political parties.
How did Communists gain power in Hungary?
- Communists became the largest party in 1947
- They then imprisoned opposition politicians and attacked Church leaders
What did Stalin establish in 1947?
Cominform (Com – inform)
What did Cominform stand for?
Communist Information Bureau
What did Cominform do?
It coordinated the work of Communist Parties in eastern Europe and spied on them to make sure they were loyal to Stalin
Why were the West worried by the Soviet takeover of eastern Europe?
They had understood the need for Stalin to have friendly governments and significant influence; they did not anticipate total domination
(Remember, at Yalta they had agree for free and fair elections.)
By 1948, which countries were not totally controlled by Communist governments?
Yugoslavia, Greece and Czechoslovakia
Which Western European country had strong communist parties?
Italy and France
Why was Europe so vulnerable to Communism after the war?
War had devastated Europe and many people in 1947 were still struggling to get basic supplies. An ideology that offered to look after everyone seemed attractive.
How did Stalin and Truman see the spread of communism over eastern Europe differently?
Stalin saw it as being necessary for his security
Truman saw it only as the spread of Communism
