Worksheet What Were the Consequences of Soviet Expansion Into Eastern Europe?

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History, The Cold War: Superpower relations between 1941-1991 Lesson 6 of 30 Worksheet What were the consequences of Soviet

Expansion into Eastern Europe? WHAT WERE THE COLD WAR SATELLITE STATES?

The Cold War satellite states were countries which formed part of the Soviet sphere of influence at the end of WW2 and which then became Stalin’s buffer zone to defend the USSR from attack from the West. The satellite states were the result of the Soviet policy of expansionism. The satellite states made up the buffer zone that Stalin was determined to create at the end of the war. Between 1944 and 1949, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and East Germany all became satellite states. They were called this because each country had a Communist government which was linked to the government in the Soviet Union, revolving around them as satellites do around a planet. At the end of the war, the Soviet Red Army was fighting its way west, defeating the Nazis and freeing countries from Nazi control as they went. These countries then became the Soviet sphere of influence as Stalin did not want to give up land that his troops had fought hard for. Stalin wanted control of Eastern Europe as a defensive measure against potential invasion from the West – this was not really unreasonable as Russia had been invaded from the west in 1812, 1915 and 1941. So although the US believed Stalin was paranoid, as we know from the Long Telegram, he saw expansionism as a reasonable defensive measure, given the number of times that they had been invaded and what the Soviets believed about the US desire to destroy them. HOW WERE THE SATELLITE STATES CREATED?

Poland

Background

At the Tehran Conference in 1943 Stalin had agreed to attack Germany through Poland and the US and Britain also agreed that the USSR was to get its pre-1921 land back from Poland and the Poles would get parts of eastern Germany in return. However, the Polish government-in-exile in London refused to accept this proposal. Despite their protest, this proposal later became part of the Yalta Agreement. In August 1944, as the Red Army approached, the London Polish government organised a rising by the Polish Home Army against both the Germans and the thought of Red Army ‘liberation’. This was called the Warsaw Uprising and it was unsuccessful. Instead of helping, as they had promised, the Red Army waited until the Nazis had put down the uprising then moved in. The failure of the rising destroyed the support the London government-in-exile had enjoyed in Poland itself. The London Poles were forced to join the government the Soviets put in place in June 1945 and to accept the Yalta Agreement in February 1945. In what were seen by the West as rigged elections in January 1947 the Communists and their allies won 384 out of 444 seats. Once in power, the Communist government banned other political parties and established a one-party state. Hungary

There were elections in Hungary in 1945 and some Communists were elected, but not enough to make a government. In 1947 there was another election. During the election campaign voters were intimidated and the Communist campaign was supported by Moscow. The Communists won this election and took power. By 1949, Hungary was a one-party Communist state. Czechoslovakia

The pre-WW2 Prime Minister, Benes, was not a communist, but he no longer trusted the West and was therefore determined to establish good relations with the USSR so that his country would be protected in the future. Benes visited Stalin and told him that he would support the Communists in Czechoslovakia after the war. In May 1946 the Communist Party received 38% of the vote in free elections. To many Czechs the Communists were heroes who had freed them from Nazi oppression. The Social Democratas also did well in the elections and they and the Communists formed a coalition government with Benes as President and Klement Gottwald as Prime Minister. This government tried to restore pre-war democracy and Benes hoped that Czechoslovakia could become a bridge between the East and West. However, Stalin saw this as a threat to his buffer zone and was determined to stop it happening. Therefore, he approved a violent takeover by Gottwald to remove the opposition and force Benes to resign. When new elections were held in 1948 there was only one list of candidates, all communists. Czechoslovakia had now also become a one party state. ADDITION EXAMPLES OF SATELLITE STATES

Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, sometimes called the Baltic States because of their coastline on the Baltic Sea were conquered by the Soviets in 1940 and were treated as part of the USSR.

Yugoslavia and Albania were never occupied by the Red Army so had more independence than other satellite states.

Bulgaria and Romania were invaded in 1944 and 1945. As in other satellite states, there were ‘free’ elections where voters were intimidated. These elections led to Communist governments being formed in these countries.

East Germany became a satellite state after the events of 1948-49, known as the Berlin Blockade. WHY WAS STALIN ABLE TO CREATE SATELLITE STATES?

There were two main reasons why Stalin was able to create satellite states: the military power of the Soviet Union and the gratitude felt by countries in Eastern Europe for their liberation from Nazi rule.

Unlike in the US and Western Europe, where there was public pressure for WW2 soldiers to return home, Stalin was able to keep large numbers of troops ready to ﬁght. Stalin knew that although Truman in particular wanted to contain Communism neither the US nor Britain was willing to ﬁght over Eastern Europe to stop it coming further under Stalin’s control.

Countries in Eastern Europe had suffered terribly during WW2 because they had been invaded and occupied by the Nazis. Communist parties in these countries used this to their advantage. They were also supported by Stalin and the Soviet Union. Leaders of these parties were often trained in Moscow. Stalin also moved slowly, at least at ﬁrst. He did not suddenly introduce Soviet style Communism. Despite this, Stalin exploited the vulnerability of Eastern European countries formerly occupied by the Nazis to create Communist one-party states. These would act as a buffer zone to protect the Soviet Union from invasion from the West. CONSEQUENCES OF SOVIET EXPANSION IN EASTERN EUROPE

We need to look at the reactions of, and consequences for, both sides on the ideological divide. From the Western point of view, Soviet expansion made Truman even more determined to contain Communism behind the ‘Iron Curtain’ and led him to declare this publicly and to actively work to stop other European countries turning to Communism. For the Soviets, it gave them the buffer zone they wanted and lots of countries with which they could trade. It made them more powerful and strengthened Communism. Therefore, the Soviet expansion into Eastern Europe, through the creation of satellite states developed tension between the Soviets and the West, worsening their relationship. Glossary

Satellite state - a country that is formally independent, but under heavy political, economic, and military inﬂuence or control from another country Red Army - the Soviet army during WW2. Red is the colour of Communism Sphere of inﬂuence - likely to cause different opinions and arguments

Liberated - freed from control by another country One party state - a country in which only one country has the right to form a government Coalition - when one or more political party form a government to run a country Comprehension Questions

1. What were satellite states in the Cold War? 2. Why was Stalin able to create satellite states? 3. Explain how Hungary became a satellite state. 4. Explain how Czechoslovakia became a satellite state.

5. Challenge question: What were the consequences of Soviet Expansion into Eastern Europe?

Once you have completed your answers, resume the lesson to ﬁnd out how you got on and hear some more.