Post on 25-May-2015
LEARNING INTENTIONS
• Explain why the Soviet Union wanted to control Poland
• Explain why the Soviet Union’s actions angered the USA
The German invasion of Poland in September 1939 helped started World War Two. Poland was also
involved at the start of the Cold War.
In both World Wars One and Two, millions of Russians were killed, soldiers and civilians
alike.
After World War Two, the Soviet Union wanted to stop this happening again. Poland was a key
part of their plan.
Russia had been invaded three times in the
twentieth century and the route through
Poland allowed this to happen.
The Soviet Union wanted control of Poland to
stop anyone else using this route to invade
them.
The USA wanted the Poles to have free
elections. They also hated Communism.
The Soviets promised to have free elections if they had control of Poland. Based on this promise, the Soviets
were given this power.
At first Poland had a coalition government (made up of Poles and
Communists).
However eventually the Soviet Union forced the Poles’ choices
out, and pushed Poland towards Communism.
By 1956, two major changes had happened.
Joseph Stalin was dead, as was Boleslaw Bierut (the Polish Communist leader).
Polish workers started to protest and
threaten revolution. They wanted to run
their country.
For a time, Poles gained more freedom.
their protests inspired others in Eastern Europe.
Eventually however this control was taken away as Poland once again became firmly Communist, angering
the USA