It is an official independent
country which is secretly
controlled by another country
1947-1949 the USSR turned Czech,
Hungary and Poland into satellite states
Why did stalin set up these
satellite states?
Stalin believed the US
was trying to 'buy Europe'
and forming allies along
the way
Stalin set up satellite
states in Europe in
hope of preventing this
so he could reject any
offers of Truman's
Marshall Plan
Cominform 1947 (The
Communist Information
Bereau)
Communist organisation
whereby it represented
Communist parties across
Europe (under the direction of
the USSR)
The Cominform
conference rejected the
Marshall plan
Communist parties in western
Europe were encouraged to organise
strikes against Marshall Plan
France 1947 (winter) 2 million
workers who were sympathetic to
communists went on strike demanding
the French government to reject
Marshall aid
Also used to ensure the
loyalty of European
communist governments
and removed those who
were not loyal to Stalin
5% of Hungary's population
was in prison by 1953, Stalin
stamped out his opposition
which consolidated
(strengthened) the power of
the USSR through eastern
Eutope
Comecon 1949 (The
Council for Mutual
Economic Assistance)
aimed to encourage the
economic development of
eastern Europe
Comecon attempted to
prevent trade with
western Europe and
America
The implications of this were:
1. It would minimise
American
influence in
Eastern Europe
and in the USSR
2. It made sure the
economic recovery
in Europe remained
in the USSR's
'sphere of influence'
3. It meant there
was a clear divide as
Eastern Europe did
not have access to
the prosperity of
Western Europe
'Two Camps'
Following the POTSDAM conference
in 1945 both the US and USSR
recognised there was a clear divide
into 'two camps'. The division had
been hardened due to the from the
policies Marshal aid; which formed a
camp in the west, and Comecon and
Cominform; which lead to the
establishment of soviet camps in the
east.
In 1945 there was 2
unofficial spheres of
influence