Transcript of Challenges to Soviet Control. At the end of WWII, the Red Army occupied most of Eastern Europe....
- Slide 1
- Challenges to Soviet Control
- Slide 2
- At the end of WWII, the Red Army occupied most of Eastern
Europe. Almost immediately, harsh measures were put in place.
Communist regimes were established and Eastern European countries
behind the Iron Curtain. People were repressed of their freedoms.
They could not speak freely about their leaders, they could not
travel wherever they wanted, they could not buy many products from
the West and they often faced food shortages and unemployment. This
unit is about what the Soviet Union did during the Cold War to
prevent these states from breaking free from Soviet Control.
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- Satellite State: East Germany in 1953. Nature of Challenge:
Soviet Reaction: East Germans rose up in revolt against Soviet
control. Soviets embarrassed. Red Army used to suppress riots.
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- Consequences: Western Reaction: US called a meeting (Four
powers). Used radio broadcasts to encourage East Germans to keep
protesting. (Radio Free Europe) Repression continued. The idea of a
friendly neutral Germany was abandoned.
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- Satellite State: Nature of Challenge: Soviet Reaction: Poland
1956 Workers revolted and outlawed Polish Communist leader Gomulka
was brought back as leader without Khrushchevs approval. Started
making rapid changes. Khrushchev concerned Gomulka would leave
Warsaw Pact. Threatened to invade Poland. Gomulka promised not to
leave Pact..
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- Consequences: Western Reaction: Improved Polish relations with
US. Gomulka was Pro-American. Freedoms that Gomulka had given the
Polish people were gradually taken away. Riots spread to
Hungary.
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- Satellite State: Nature of Challenge: Soviet Reaction: Hungary
1956 Riots and protests in Hungary. New leader Nagy announces
Hungary would leave Warsaw Pact. Red Army is sent in. Thousands of
people die. New leader installed in Hungary. Nagy executed.
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- Consequences: Western Reaction: No military action. UN Sent
committee to investigate but Soviet Union ignored them. Detente was
weakened. Khrushchevs position strengthened.
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- Satellite State: Nature of Challenge: Soviet Reaction:
Czechoslovakia 1968 Prague Spring Dubcek made changes that
threatened Soviet control. Troops sent it. Red Army re-established
control.
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- Consequences: Western Reaction: Nothing. Brezhnev Doctrine The
Soviet Union would use force to keep countries in Warsaw Pact or
Communist.
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- Satellite State: Nature of Challenge: Soviet Reaction: Poland
1980 Solidarity trade union with 10 million members threatened
Soviet control. New leader put in place, declared Martial Law,
Soviet Union threatened to invade.
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- Consequences: Western Reaction: The United States continued to
support Solidarity, bought them radios to communicate with.
Weakened Dtente.
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- Satellite State: Nature of Challenge: Soviet Reaction:
Afghanistan 1979 Afghanistans Communist government is collapsing.
Soviets fear spread of fundamental Islam and American influence.
Soviet Union invades Afghanistan. Brezhnev Doctrine justified
invasion.
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- Consequences: Western Reaction: Carter Doctrine - US pledged to
intervene in the Persian Gulf if threatened by Soviets. Americans
provided mujahedin with weapons. Dtente broke down. Start of Second
Cold War. The Soviet Afghan war was the Soviet Unions Viet
Nam.
- Slide 15
- By what methods and with what results did the USSR impose
control on Eastern Europe 1945 -1956? - salami tactics, secret
police, censorship of press, travel restrictions, social and
ideological controls, suppression of religious freedom, political
purgess, military presence of Soviet troops. - Red Army was used to
stop protests in East Germany, Hungary. - In Poland, pressure was
placed on Gomulka to stay in Warsaw.
- Slide 16
- Assess the importance of social and economic issues in causing
opposition to communist regimes.