The communists in eastern Europe Flashcards
1
Q
East Germany
A
- Allies had given the USSR control of the eastern sector of Germany
- Was run by the USSR effectively under Red Army control until the creation of the German Democratic Republic in 1949
2
Q
Poland
A
- After the war the Communists joined a coalition government
- Then they became outright leaders when they forced the non-communist leader into exile
3
Q
What is a coalition government?
A
A government formed jointly by more than one political party.
4
Q
Czechoslovakia
A
- A left-wing coalition won elections in 1945
- In 1946 Communist became the largest single party, but still in a coalition
- In 1948, when their position was threatened, they banned other parties
- Made Czechoslovakia a communist, one-party state
5
Q
Hungary
A
- Communists became the largest single party in the 1947 elections
- Imprisoned opposition politicians
- Attacked Church leaders
6
Q
Romania
A
- In 1945 a communist was elected Prime Minister within a left-wing coalition
- In 1947 the Communists also abolished the monarchy
7
Q
Bulgaria
A
- A left-wing coalition won elections in 1945
- The communist members of the coalition then executed the leaders of the other parties
8
Q
Yugoslavia
A
- Marshal Tito had led war-time resistance to the Nazis so he was elected President in 1945
- He was determined to apply communism in his own way
- Expelled from Cominform in 1948
9
Q
Albania
A
- Communists gained power immediately after the war (WW2)
- Little opposition as during the war communist and nationalist resistance movements had opposed the Italian and later German occupation forces
- As the war ended, the strong communist movement had the backing of communist Yugoslavia and the USSR
10
Q
Greece
A
Britain and the USA supported the royalist side in a civil war which defeated the communist opposition.
11
Q
France & Italy
A
Both countries had strong communist parties which belonged to Cominform.
