Soviet Control

• The USSR made eastern European states satellite states.
• Reasons for Soviet Expansion:

  • hostile to Soviet Union between wars
  • percentages deal
  • security depended on Poland so wanted communist government
  • protection from future invasions - created a barrier
  • spread of political ideology
  • increasing tensions
• The Long Telegram 1946:

  • USA
  • Stalin wanted destruction of Capitalism
  • no peace with USSR
  • USSR building military power
• The Novikov Telegram 1946:

  • USSR
  • American desired to dominate the world
  • no longer interested in cooperation
  • American public preparing for war
• The Eastern Bloc was made up of Poland, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and Yugolavia.
• Poland:

  • June 1945 - coalition government
  • 1947 - set up elections in favour of communism
  • opposition leader forced to flee
• Hungary:

  • economic crisis
  • communists took control until 1947
  • forced Nagy to resign
  • August 1947 - communists secured a majority vote and banned all other parties
• Czechoslovakia:

  • 1947 - communists were largest party
  • controlled police and army
  • 1948 - used army to take full control
  • non-communists arrested, some executed, and other parties were banned
• Romania:

  • 1945 - coalition government and communist pressure
  • forced Romanian king to communist government
  • November 1946 - communist government elected
  • abolished king and monarchy
• Bulgaria:

  • 1944 - communist dominated government
  • November 1945 - communists won set-up election
  • banned all other parties
• Yugoslavia:

  • already communist - Tito
  • refused to take orders
  • Stalin economically sanctioned Yugoslavia