USSR's control over Eastern Europe Flashcards
What side of World War II was Hungary on?
Axis
Political causes of 1956 rebellion
Hungarian communist party came into power against majority vote (17%)
Repression causes of 1956 rebellion
AVH (secret police) controlled what was taught in schools - 2,000 executed, 100,000 imprisoned
Religious causes of 1956 rebellion
Soviets banned Christianity as it was labelled as ‘dangerous propaganda’
Economic causes of 1956 rebellion
Bad standard of living as goods were sent to Russia so no money
How did the west give Hungarians hope for change
UN and Eisenhower made supportive comments toward Hungary
How did Stalin’s death give Hungarians hope for change
Khrushchev refused 400 arrests of Hungarian politicians
How did Poland give Hungarians hope for change
Workers in June 1956 rose against the Soviets and some demands were met
How did the Hungarian uprising start
23rd October 1956 students demanded the end of Soviet occupation (Stalin statue toppled)
How did the Hungarian uprising end
- Russian army pulled out of Budapest
- Demands were met (democracy) and Hungary set to leave Warsaw Pact
- Russia moved back into Budapest (4th November)
- Kadar replaced Imre Nagy
What was the Prague Spring?
in 1968 a series of changes took place in Czechoslovakia reducing Soviet ties
Causes of the Prague Spring
Economic - Bad standard of living after depression
Political - Communist Leader Antonin Novotny was unpopular
Freedom - Censorship
Changes in Prague Spring
- Loosening of control on businesses
- Dubcek replaced Novotny
- Abolition of censorship
- Rights for unions and farmers
Soviet response to Prague Spring
Invasion in August 1968 and Dubcek expelled while Brezhnev Doctrine introduced
What was the Brezhnev Doctrine
All countries had to remain in the Warsaw Pact with a one-party system in every country
Why was the Berlin Wall built
2.6 million had moved from east to west Berlin. Between 1949 - 1961 15% of the population had moved.
Why did people leave east Germany
To improve quality of life as the west had access to the Marshall Plan so had more money
Impacts on East Germany of migration
Social - Brain Drain
Economic - Loss of skilled workers (70% - 61% of population at working age)
Political - Negative propaganda for communism
Start of Solidarity
14th August 1980 - Lenin shipyard workers in Gdansk go on strike led by Lech Walesa
31st August - some of their 21 demands met
September - “Solidarity” formed
End of Solidarity
13th December 1981 - Jaruzelski proclaimed martial law and arrested Solidarity’s leaders
How did Solidarity restart
Gorbachev became leader of USSR and legalised Solidarity 4 years later
Successes of Solidarity
80% of Polish workforce were members, some of 21 demands were met (independent unions from government), did not use violence
What was Gorbachev’s role in the collapse of Soviet control in Eastern Europe?
He set up reforming the USSR attempting to modernise it and tackle corruption
What was Glasnost
“Openness” to society in USSR (freedom for media and expression) - Soviets also learnt about Stalin’s brutality
