Unit 6 Flashcards
What side was the Soviet Union on during World War II?
Victor’s side, allied with UK, US, and France
What were the three main goals of the USSR after World War II?
- Create a buffer zone to the west of USSR
- Spread communism
- Use resources of others to help rebuild its war-damaged countries
What term describes the division of Europe during the Cold War?
Iron Curtain
What agreements did USSR-controlled countries have to agree to?
- COMECON (1949)
- The Warsaw Pact (1955)
What was COMECON?
Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, established in 1949
What was the Warsaw Pact?
A mutual defense treaty established in 1955 between eight communist states
What were the main causes of the Hungarian Revolution in 1956?
- Long-term anger about USSR’s influences
- Political repression
- Religious restrictions
What happened on October 23, 1956, in Hungary?
Students demanded an end to USSR occupation and true socialism, leading to protests
Who became the Prime Minister of Hungary during the 1956 revolution?
Imre Nagy
What did Imre Nagy promise during the Hungarian Revolution?
Free elections and the removal of Soviet troops
What event marked the beginning of the Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia?
Attempts to make reforms and lessen ties to the USSR in 1968
What were the proposed reforms by Alexander Dubcek during the Prague Spring?
- Abolition of censorship
- Freedom of speech
- Creation of workers’ councils
- Increased rights for trade unions
- Recognition of Slovak national identity
What was the Soviet response to the Prague Spring?
Troops from Warsaw Pact countries invaded Czechoslovakia in August 1968
What doctrine was introduced by Leonid Brezhnev after the Prague Spring?
Brezhnev Doctrine
What were the two rules of the Brezhnev Doctrine?
- A one-party system in each country
- All countries were to remain members of the Warsaw Pact
What was the Berlin Wall, and when was it constructed?
A wall dividing East and West Berlin, constructed on August 13, 1961
What were the reasons for the construction of the Berlin Wall?
- To stop mass emigration from East to West Germany
- To prevent a ‘Brain Drain’
What was Solidarity in Poland?
A nationwide independent trade union established in 1980
What were the 21 demands of the Solidarity movement?
- Right to form trade unions
- Freedom of speech
- Better working conditions
- Economic reforms
Who was the leader of the Solidarity movement?
Lech Walesa
What happened on December 13, 1981, in Poland?
The government declared a ‘state of war’ and banned Solidarity
What significant change occurred in Poland in 1989?
Solidarity was legalized, and a non-communist PM was elected
Who became the first non-communist PM of Poland since 1945?
A member of Solidarity
Fill in the blank: The Soviet Union established the __________ to control communist countries.
Brezhnev Doctrine
