Increase of Soviet Control

• What region did the Soviets increase control over after World War II?

  Eastern Europe
• Which three Baltic States became independent of Russia at the end of WW1?

  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Estonia
• What ultimatum did the foreign ministers face in Moscow?

  They faced invasion unless they signed a treaty of assistance with the Soviet Union.
• What was the consequence of the treaty signed by the Baltic States?

  The Red Army established bases in the Baltic States, ensuring compliance with Moscow's foreign policy.
• What percentage of the population agreed to be incorporated into the Soviet Union during the rigged referendums?

  90%
• How did many citizens react to the German invasion in June 1941?

  Many citizens welcomed them as liberators despite the harsh Nazi rule.
• Who resisted the Red Army's reoccupation of the Baltic States in Summer 1944?

  The Forest Brothers
• What was imposed in all three Baltic States after the deportation of half a million people?

  A Soviet-style economy was imposed.
• What promise did Roosevelt accept from Stalin at the Tehran Conference in 1943 regarding the Baltic States?

  That there would be referendums on Soviet control once the Baltic States were liberated.
• Why was Poland considered a crucial buffer for the Soviet Union after World War II?

  • To prevent invasion from a resurgent Germany
  • Historical invasions of Russia had come through Poland
• What were the two rival parties in Poland in 1945?

  The London Poles and the communist Lublin Poles.
• What agreement was made at the Yalta Conference regarding the Polish government?

  The Soviets agreed to a coalition of the London Poles and the Lublin Poles.
• What happened to the 16 representatives of the London Poles during talks in March 1945?

  They were arrested by the NKVD, tortured, and confessed to collaboration with the Germans.
• How did Wladyslaw Gomulka ensure the Peasant party was intimidated?

  With the assistance of the NKVD, he intimidated them through arrests and executions.
• What percentage of the vote did the communist-led bloc gain in the massively rigged elections in January 1947?

  80%
• What did Stanislaw Mikolajczyk do in response to the rigged elections?

  He resigned in disgust and fled the country.
• What factors contributed to the Democratic Front's victory in Romania's elections of November 1946?

  • Redistribution of land to the peasantry
  • Intimidation of non-coalition parties
  • Ballot rigging
• What was the consequence of the Red Army's presence in Romania after the elections?

  Opposition members were arrested and imprisoned.
• What happened to King Michael of Romania in December 1947?

  He was forced to abdicate.
• What was the political situation in Bulgaria after World War II?

  • The Communist party was more popular.
  • Georgi Dimitrov was a close friend of Stalin.
  • A coalition government was set up in 1945.
• How did the communists gain control in Bulgaria?

  They gained control of the important Ministries of the Interior and Justice.
• What happened to the leaders of opposition parties in Bulgaria in September 1947?

  They were arrested and executed.
• How did Bulgaria's relationship with Stalin change after 1947?

  Bulgaria became the most enthusiastic of all satellite states and followed Stalin's wishes.
• What was agreed upon in the Percentages Agreement between Stalin and Churchill regarding Hungary?

  • Division of dominance over Hungary 50/50
  • Established a framework for post-war influence
• What was the political situation in Hungary after the establishment of a coalition government in 1945?

  The communists were in a minority and controlled only the Ministries of Trade and Agriculture.
• What percentage of parliamentary seats did the communists win in the relatively free elections of November 1945?

  17%
• What happened to Ferenc Nagy, the leader of the Smallholders Party?

  He was forced to resign after his son was kidnapped.
• What happened to the Baltic States (Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia) at the end of World War I?

  The Baltic States became independent of Russia.
• What happened when the foreign ministers of the Baltic States were summoned to Moscow?

  They were informed they faced invasion unless they signed a treaty of assistance with the Soviet Union.
• How did the Soviet Union ensure the Baltic States would follow Moscow's wishes in foreign policy?

  The Red Army established bases in the Baltic States, ensuring the countries would follow Moscow's wishes.
• What happened in the rigged referendums in the Baltic States?

  90% of the population agreed to be incorporated into the Soviet Union.
• How did the citizens of the Baltic States react when Germany invaded in 1941?

  Many citizens welcomed the Germans as liberators, even though Nazi rule was harsh and they limited their attention to the persecution of the Jewish population.
• What happened when the Red Army reoccupied the Baltic States in 1944?

  There was some resistance from partisans such as the Forest Brothers who had fought the Nazis, and this resulted in a brutal crackdown by the NKVD.
• What happened in the Baltic States after they were reoccupied by the Red Army?

  Half a million people were deported from the region, and a Soviet-style economy was imposed in all 3 countries.
• What happened to the promised referendums on Soviet control in the Baltic States at the Tehran Conference in 1943?

  The referendums never took place, despite Roosevelt's acceptance of Stalin's assurances that they would occur once the Baltic States were liberated.
• Why was Poland needed as a buffer to prevent the threat of invasion from a resurgent Germany?

  Invasions of Russia in both World Wars had come through Poland, so Poland was needed as a buffer to prevent future German invasions.
• What were the two rival parties in Poland in 1945?

  The London Poles, based on the pre-war Polish government, and the communist Lublin Poles.
• What was agreed at the Yalta Conference regarding the government of Poland?

  The Soviets agreed to a coalition of the London Poles and the communist Lublin Poles in a government of national unity.
• What happened to the 16 representatives of the London Poles who met for talks in March 1945?

  They were arrested by the NKVD, tortured, and then confessed to a collaboration with the Germans at show trials in an unpopular Polish Communist Party.
• How did the Polish communist leader, Wladyslaw Gomulka, ensure the Peasant party was intimidated?

  With the assistance of the NKVD, Gomulka was ruthless in ensuring the Peasant party was intimidated with arrests and executions.