Soviet Union Control Over Eastern Europe Flashcards
Demands for change and reaction Poland?
Riots sparked off by economic grievances developed into demands for political change in Poland.
On the death of Stalinist leader Boleslaw Beirut in 1956 he was replaced by Wladyslaw Gromulka, a former victim of Stalinism which initially worries the soviets.
Poles announced their own road to socialism and introduced extensive reforms
Release of political prisoners, collective farms broken up into private holdings, shops, greater freedom to factory managers.
Relatively free elections held in 1957 which returned a Communist majority of 18
No soviet intervention despite concerns
Gromulka pushed change only so far. Poland remained in the Warsaw pact as a part of the important buffer zone. Political freedoms were very limited indeed. Poland was a loyal supporter of the soviet union until the 1980s and the emergence of the Solidarity movement.
International context?
1955- emergence of Nikita Khrushchev as leader on Stalin’s death. He encouraged criticism of Stalin and seemed to offer hope for greater political and economic freedom across the Eastern European satellite states.
Speech to 20th Party Congress, Feb 1956: Khrushchev attacked Stalin for promoting a cult of personality and for his use of purges and persecution to reinforce his dictatorship. Policy of De-Stalinisation
Development of policy of peaceful co- existence to appeal to the west.
Development of policy of different roads to socialism to appeal to satellite states in eastern Europe who were becoming restless.
Demands for change and reaction: Hungary?
Hungarians had similar complaints: lack of political freedom, economic problems and poor standards of living
Encouraged by Polish success, criticism of Stalinist regime of Matyas Rakosi grew, and he was removed by Khrushchev
Popular upsurge of support for change in Budapest led to a new Hungarian government led by Imre Nagy, who promised genuine reform and change
Nagy government planned multi-party elections, political freedoms, the withdrawal of Hungary from the. Warsaw pact and the break up of their carefully constructed buffer zone. They intervened and crushed the rising brutally
Successful intervention, but lingering resentment from mass of Hungarian people, through some economic performance and living standard.
Demands for change and reaction: Berlin?
Problems for Berlin- a divided nation
Lack of formal boundaries in Berlin allowed East Berliners and East Germans to freely enter the West which they did owing to the lack of political freedoms, economic development and poor living standards in the East
Many of those fleeing (2.8mil between 1949 and 1961) were skilled and young, just the people the communist east needed to retain. This was embarrassing for the east as it showed that communism was not the superior system it claimed to be.
Concerns of Ulbricht and Khrushchev: attempts to encourage the western forces to leave Berlin by bluster and threat from 1958 failed
Kennedy of America spoke about not letting the communists drive them out of Berlin. Resultant increase in tension could not be allowed to continue
Building of barriers: barbed wire then stone in 1961 to stem the flood from east to west
Success in that it reduced the threat of war and the exodus from east to west to a trickle
Frustration of many in east Germany. Propaganda gift for the allies.
Military and ideological factors?
Buffer zone could not be broken up as provided military defence for soviet union
Use of force and red army to enforce control in late 40s early 50s
Need to ensure success of communism hence policy.
Domestic Pressures?
Intention to stop any further suffering of soviet union in aftermath of ww2 made leadership very touchy to change
Some economic freedoms were allowed, but at the expense of political freedoms
Need to stop spread of demands for change
