Breaking Free of the Iron Curtain: Liberation Movements

Not all nations under the thumb of the USSR wanted to be dictated to by Moscow; even if they wanted to remain communist. Revolutions and attempts at reformation such as are known as liberation movements.

The hungarian revolt (1956)

The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 was a spontaneous nationwide revolt against the communist government of Hungary and its soviet-imposed policies, lasting from October 23 until November 10, 1956. It began as a student demonstration which attracted thousands as it marched through central budapest to the parliament building. While they achieved some prisoner releases, they did not achieve a soviet withdrawal. Thousands of Hungarians were arrested, imprisoned and deported to the soviet union.

CZECHOSLOVAK SOCIALIST REPUBLIC 1968- Prague  Spring

In 1968, reformist alexander dubcek (doob-chick) came to to power in the czechoslovak socialist republic (CSSR)

Under new rule he:

• Granted additional rights and freedom to its citizens

• Loosening restrictions on the media, speech and travel

• Limited the power of the secret police

• A ten year plan toward democratic elections

The soviets launched talks with the czechoslvakian government to reach an understanding about the nature of the countries reforms.

• August 20 1968, eastern armies from the warsaw pact countries - soviet union, bulgaria, poland, and hungary- invaded and occupied the CSSR

• Within a year, ducks reformed has been reversed

Yugoslavia

After WWII, yugoslavia elected a communist government and aligned itself with the soviet union

• Soon Yugoslavian leader, Josip Tito began to distance his country from the Soviet Union. 

• Tito became the first and only socialist leader to defy Stalin and reject Soviet demands for absolute loyalty to the Soviet Union.

1955, Yugoslavia, under Tito’s leadership, became a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement, an international organization of states who consider themselves not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. 

• Over the years, Tito adopted a more liberal government and fostered relationships with Western Countries, creating a political, economic, and ideological division between Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union.

Alignement: Canada in the cold war

With historical ties to great britain it shared border with the US, there was never any doubt as to Canada playing a role in the cold war

• 1949 canada becomes a founding member of NATO

• NATO- Military alliance designed to defend member countries against attack from the soviet union and its allies.

Non-Alignment

 Position taken during the cold war by those countries that did not form an alliance with either the USA nor the USSR. They pushed for more aid for the developing world.

• Many countries want to choose their own ideologies and presented a history of colonization 

• At the Bandung conference, held in java indonesia, in 1955, 29 african and asian countries met to promote economic and cultural cooperation.

• This was the beginning of the non-alignment movement (NAM) when “third world” countries decided that they would not align themselves with either superpower.

• However these countries were unsuccessful in trying to use their membership in the United Nations challenge in the hegemony of the USA and USSR.