the creation of USSR satellite states

why did Stalin want control of Eastern Europe

• Stalin wanted to keep control of these countries to act as a ‘buffer zone’ between the East and West

• These countries were called satellite states because of how they seemed to orbit the Soviet Union

States in 1940

Lithuania Estonia and Latvia (baltic states)

when was the Warsaw uprising

1944-1945

• at the Yalta conference free elections had been agreed to for Poland , but Stalin was scared that it would lead to a non communist government

when was a coalition government set up in Poland

in June 1945

what led to a fully communist government in Poland

• During the 1947 elections, a campaign of violence and intimidation led to the creation of a fully communist government

which two countries lost their monarchies and were replaced by communist governments

Romania and Bulgaria

Hungary 1945-49

• Non-communists won the 1945 election in Hungary

• However, a communist politician called Rakosi took control of the secret police and imprisoned political opponents

when did the communists win the election in Hungary?

1947

when were all other political parties banned in Hungary?

1949

why did Stalin see Czechoslovakia as a threat to his buffer zone?

the coalition government was led by a non-communist Edward Benes

when did Czechoslovakia get taken over by USSR?

In 1948, a coup led by the pro-communist Klement Gottwaldtook over the government

which two countries were considered part of the satellite states even though they were never occupied by the red army?

• Yugoslavia and Albania

• they were given more freedom than regular satellite states

what was the USA’s reaction to establishment of satellite states

• Truman saw the creation of satellite states as a deliberate attempt to spread communism

• The satellite states challenged Truman’s policy of containment, prompting him to establish the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan