Eastern Bloc Flashcards
(24 cards)
Poland background
Pro-Stalin lubin government already established.
Polish gov existed in exile in London.
Poland events
Provisional government of national unity formed in June 1945.
Poland had a peasant party led by Stanislaw mikolajczhy.
Communists weakened this group by strengthen their relations with the socialists.
Jan 1947 2 groups merged and communists were dominant.
Deputy PM didn’t like this and then was replaced by a pro-Stalinist.
Who led the polish peasent party?
Stanislaw mikolajczyh
When did the two groups in Poland merge
Jan 1947
Czechoslovakia
Background
Communist won 38% vote in 1948
President not a communist but PM was leader of the communist party.
PM wanted to accept Marshall aid.
1948 Czech only remaining county to be democratic.
Coms expected to do badly in may election.
Czech events
Coms took on a ‘take power with force’ effort.
Police taken over by coms and any non-coms removed.
Fear and coercion used to remove remaining opponents like jan masaryh defenestrated.
President resigns and replaced by gottwald
When did the president resign in czech
Jun 14th 1948
Who was the Czech president replaced by
Gottwald.
Yugoslavia background
Initially firmly embedded in the Soviet Union camp.
Tito- leader- was a committed Stalinist.
Com movement firmly in place when war ended.
1948 conflict between Stalin and tito.
Yugoslavia events
Stalin kicked Yugoslavia out of cominform.
1948 stalins soviet influence over Yugoslavia was limited
June 1949 accused of abandoning marxhist lenism.
Able to survive cause USA aid.
What is marxhist lenism
Communist revolution
Hungary background
Red army was present in army after WW2
Hungary com party had a base of support and were small holders party
What’s a small holders party
A small farm, small scale production, won Hungarian election in 1945
Hungary events p1
Stalin used his power and influence to ensure communists had key posts in government.
Rigged elections in 47.
Coms removed all opposition in 48 and president was forced to resign.
Hungary events p2
Hungary coms divided into 2 factions. A pro-Stalin and an independent one.
Support of Moscow the Stalinist took control.
By 1949 all opposition to the pro-Stalinist had disappeared.
Who was the leader of the home faction in Hungary and what happened to him
Laszlo Raijik, he was arrested and executed for anti-soviet activities.
Eastern Germany background
Red army occupied power after WW2.
German com part led by Ulbricht. Stalinist.
Coms were small.
East Germany events
April 46 ulbricht ordered by Stalin to merge with the bigger socialist party to form socialist unity party.
Coms party now larger in east Germany.
When East Germany was established in 49 ulbricht and the coms formed a gov.
Bulgaria background
Red army present after WW2.
Bulgaria com party had a base of support and were part of a coalition government,
Bulgaria events
Stalin got coms in key positions.
Coms used these positions to manipulate elections + removed non-coms from office.
October 46 comms win 75% landslide.
47 petkov arrested and executed on trumped up charges party absorbed by coms.
By April 47 all other political party’s were banned. Coms in full control.
Romania background
Coms in Romania were a popular alternative to the pre-war regime and formed national coalition after end of ww2.
Red army occupied romain after ww2
Romania events
Stalin put coms in key positions of gov.
Coms rigged nov 46 election winning 80% of vote.
By 47 coms used their control of police to order dissolution of their main opponents , present party and king Michael.
Coms in full control
