How was Soviet control carried out, 1945-47?

How was Soviet control carried out, 1945-47?

1. POLAND

   • 1. June 1945 - coalition gov of several parties is set up
   • 2. January 1947 - rigged elections to ensure election of totally communist gov
     • Succeed
   • 3. Leader of main opposition party, Stanislaw Milokajcyk - fled to London

2. ROMANIA

   • 1. Early 1945, coalition gov set up
   • 2. January 1945, communists take part in demonstrations to disrupt the gov
     • Encouraged by Stalin
   • 3. March 1945, Soviet army intervenes
     • It disarms the Romanian army
     • Forces King to appoint a communist-dominated gov
       • Under Petru Groza
   • 4. November 1946 elections, communists gain 80% votes
     • The following year, communists abolish the monarchy

3. HUNGARY

   • 1. Country begins to experience an economic crisis
     • After the Smallholders' Party is elected in the August 1945 elections
   • 2. Communist party is able to seize control of Ministry of the Interior
     • Which controlled the police
   • 3. In 1947, Bela Kovacs (leader of Smallholders' Party) is arrested
   • 4. Prime Minister, Imre Nagy, is forced to resign
   • 5. Election of August 1947 results in communists securing majority of votes
     • Soon all other parties are banned

4. CZECHOSLOVAKIA

   • 1. Communists had great support in CZCHSLVK
     • By 1947, they were the largest party in coalition gov
       • Controlled police and armed forces
   • 2. In 1948, they used the army to seize control
     • Many non-communist arrested
       • Foreign secretary, non-communist, Jan Masaryk - murdered
   • 3. Rigged elections resulted in a communist victory
     • All other political parties - banned

5. BULGARIA

   • 1. Late 1944, a communist-dominated gov is set up
   • 2. November 1945, communists won rigged elections
     • In the following year, all other parties are banned

6. YUGOSLAVIA

   • 1. Communist resistance fought against Germans during war
   • 2. Marshal Tito, elected President
     • Had no intentions of taking Stalin's orders
   • 3. Yugoslavia is expelled from Communist International Bureau (Cominform)
     • Other communist countries applied economical sanctions
   • 4. Tito then accepted aid from the West
     • This was a way of challenging Stalin further