Sub events Flashcards
What was the initial framing of the Soviet military occupation?
The military occupation was initially framed as liberation, but quickly transitioned into political control.
Which territories were occupied by the Soviet Union?
East Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria.
What territories did the Soviet Union annex outright?
The Baltic states and parts of pre-1939 Poland and Carpatho-Ukraine.
What were the political objectives of the Soviet Union?
Creation of a satellite empire, Soviet military power, salami tactics, state policy + spy networks, control through COMECON.
What was agreed upon at the February 1945 Yalta conference?
The need for buffer zones to deter a future German invasion.
How did the Soviet leadership seek to control occupied countries?
By installing communist governments loyal to Moscow, often through political manipulation and suppression of opposition.
What are ‘salami tactics’?
A process where opposition parties and non-communist elements were gradually eliminated or absorbed to ensure communist dominance.
What actions did the Red Army take against opposition?
With the help of the NKVD, they purged any and all opposition to the Communist establishments.
How was the Soviet occupation recognized internationally?
It was recognized and tacitly accepted by the Western Allies at conferences such as Tehran (1943), Yalta (February 1945), and Potsdam (July-August 1945).
What did Stalin promise regarding elections in Eastern Europe?
He promised to allow free elections, but the USSR systematically prevented genuinely democratic processes.
What was the impact of the Soviet occupation?
It created the Eastern Bloc, a key feature of the Cold War division of Europe.
What happened by 1948 regarding satellite states?
They were economically and militarily under the control of the USSR.
What was the Czechoslovak Coup in February 1948?
Czechoslovakia expressed interest in the Marshall Plan, but the USSR forced them to vote against it under threat of armed intervention.
How did Truman respond to the Czechoslovak Coup?
He used the coup to implement the Marshall Plan.
