The Soviet Union and Eastern Europe

The Soviet Union and Eastern Europe| | The world’s most powerful Communist country was the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or otherwise known as the Soviet Union. It contained 15 republics that were controlled by a central government. Over time, it developed into a large industrial power that dictated all aspects of the national economy. It set levels of wages and prices, controlled the allocation of resources, and decided what would be produced and how and where goods would be distributed. The Soviet Union was corrupted after World War I.

Economic recovery such as Russian industrial production had gotten passed prewar levels by forty percent. New power plants, canals, and giant factories were built. Testing of hydrogen bombs in 1953 and Sputnik 1 in 1957 enhanced the Soviet state’s reputation as a world power abroad. Soviet people did not have much, their apartment’s one room served as both a bed and living room. As the struggle for power continued, Joseph Stalin, the general secretary of the Communist Party, became the master of the Soviet Union and he had a low amount of respect for Communist Party leaders.

Stalin was a selfish leader and did not think people from his circle could do anything without him. He believed in a socialist government. The government issued a decree that all literary and scientific work must conform to the political needs of the state itself. As a result of this, there was increased terror. Many believed new purges were to come until Stalin died on March 5. After Stalin’s death, a man named Nikita Khrushchev came in as the chief Soviet policy maker and improved his regime. Khrushchev deleted Stalin’s ruthless policies which became known as De-Stalinization.

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He also loosened government control on Stalin’s literary works. Khrushchev tried to make consumer goods more popular. He also wanted to increase agricultural output by growing corn and cultivating lands that were east of the Ural Mountains. His attempt in increasing agriculture weakened his reputation within the party. As a result of his bad reputation and increased military spending, the Soviet economy became ruined. He was suddenly deposed in 1964. After Khrushchev fell from power, Leonid Brezhnev, who had been serving as his deputy in the party secretariat, became first secretary of the party.

Under his rule the de-Stalinization campaign was highly relaxed. Previous experimental agricultural programs were abandoned and the economy began to flourish. Cold war tensions eased after the Cuban missile crisis of 1962 and there was a limited opening for cultural exchanges with the West. Competition shifted to a space and arms race. In Yugoslavia, a man by the name of Tito, also known as Josip Broz, was the leader of the Communist resistance movement. He wanted an independent Communist state in Yugoslavia. Tito refused to agree with Stalin’s demands of taking over Yugoslavia.

By portraying the struggle as one of Yugoslav national freedom, Tito gained his people’s support. Tito ruled Yugoslavia up until his death in 1980. Yugoslavia was a Communist government, but not a Soviet satellite state. The Soviet Union did not allow its Eastern Europe satellites to become independent of Soviet control, especially in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Hungary. Protests took place in Poland; the Polish Communist Party adopted a series of reforms in October 1956. They elected a first secretary named Wladyslaw Gomulka. He said that Poland had the right to follow its own socialist path.

Poland was afraid of the Soviet armed response to his remark so they pledged to remain loyal to the Warsaw Pact. Unrest in Hungary and economic difficulties led to a revolt. What added to the rising rebellion was Imre Nagy, the Hungarian leader, declared Hungary a free nation on November 1, 1956. It also promised free elections. Three days after Nagy’s declaration, the Soviet Army attacked Budapest. 23 After this, the Soviets reestablished control over the country. Nagy was then seized by the Soviet military and executed two years later. 24

Alexander Dubcek was elected first secretary of the Communist party. 25 He introduced freedom of speech and press of freedom to travel abroad. He relaxed censorship, began to pursue an independent foreign policy, and promised a gradual democratization of the Czechoslovakia political system. 26 He wanted to create “socialism with a human face. ”27 All the happiness of the people was ended when the Soviet Army invaded Czechoslovakia in August 1968 28 and crushed the reform movement. Gustav Husak replaced Dubcek, did not follow his reforms, and reestablished the old order. 28

In that same year of 1968 a movement for liberal reforms gained widespread support in Czechoslovakia. 29 When the Czech government seemed to be moving away from the Soviet-style rule, the Soviet Union reacted by sending troops into Czechoslovakia in August to ensure the removal of Czech leaders. 30 After this invasion, the Soviets developed the “Brezhnev doctrine,”31 a policy that called for Soviet intervention to stop any developments that may disrupt the Communist order in Eastern Europe. 32 Political and economic patterns remained constant and still into the 1980s.

An invasion of Afghanistan to help a puppet regime broke down into guerrilla warfare. 33 In most cases the Soviets were cautious international players dodging any direct military interventions. Workers and youth began to react to their strict control and lack of consumer goods. High alcoholism increased death rates and lowered production. A growing economic crisis beginning in the mid-1980s forced major political change. 34 Efforts at reform were matched by developments in Eastern Europe that ended the Russian empire.

The initial cause was a deteriorating economy hampered by the costs of rivalry with the United States. By the 1980s the economy was grinding to a halt. Forced industrialization had caused extensive environmental disaster throughout eastern Europe. Related diseases impaired optimism and economic performance. Infant mortality rates increased highly. Industrial production slowed and economic growth stopped, but one-third of national income continued to go to military production. 35 Younger leaders recognized that the system might very well collapse. In 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev introduced reforms. 6 He urged nuclear reduction and negotiated with the United States a limitation of medium-range missiles in Europe. The war in Afghanistan was ended by Soviet withdrawal. Internally Gorbachev proclaimed the freedom to comment and criticize. He commended use of market incentives and less use of administrative controls. But strong limits on political freedom remained and the centralized planning apparatus resisted reform. Gorbachev's policies partly reflected ambivalence about the West as he reduced isolation but still criticized Western values. He wanted reform, not abandonment of basic communist controls.

The keynote to reform was perestroika, or economic restructuring. 37 This meant more private ownership and decentralized control of aspects of the economy. Foreign investment was encouraged and military expenditures were reduced to free resources for consumer goods. In 1988 a new constitution gave considerable power to a parliament and abolished the communist monopoly of elections. Gorbachev was elected to a new and powerful presidency in 1990 as people argued for or against reform. 38 By the end of 1991 the Soviet Union had been replaced by a loose union of republics. 9 Gorbachev was dissatisfied so he decided to resign and was replaced by an elected president, Boris Yeltsin. 40 The Communist party was dissolved. Continuing uncertainty showed in 1993 when Yeltsin clashed with the parliament. 41 Yeltsin and the army triumphed and elections followed to produce another constitution. In the midst of continuing political confusion two trends predominated: the economy was weak and there was a breakdown of values and discipline. 42 Crime flourished and growing economic class divisions threatened stability.

The economic and political conditions provoked the states of Eastern Europe to take advantage of the new times to seek independence and internal reform. Soviet troops were withdrawn. Bulgaria arranged free elections in 1989 43; Hungary and Poland in 1988 installed noncommunist governments and moved toward a free economy. 44 Czechoslovakia did the same in 1989. 45 Without a doubt the Soviet Union began to collapse. Ethnic and national tensions got worse dramatically during 1989 to 1991. 46 There was heavy controversy between Georgia, Azerbaijan, Moldavia, and Kirghizia. 7 The Soviet government responded by sending troops to these regions to restore order. All 15 of the republics proclaimed that their laws were more superior than those of the central government. During 1989 to 1990, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Armenia, Georgia, and Moldavia all confirmed that they were going to separate from the USSR. 48 However the Soviet government did not recognize any of these independence claims and in 1990 Soviet troops stormed various communications facilities in Lithuania and Latvia. 49 During 1988-89, Gorbachev implemented various governmental reforms that radically changed he way in which the Soviet Union was ruled. 49 He persuaded the Communist party to relinquish its monopoly on political power and to recognize the authority of the new Supreme Soviet and the newly created Congress of People’s Deputies. 50 Also, the government created the office of president vested it with broad executive powers. Gorbachev was elected to that position in 1989. 51 The government approved a variety of economic reforms aimed at introducing a market-based economy. These measures included the legalization of private businesses and the reduction of state subsidies for many industries.

Numerous economic problems followed, including high inflation and shortages of many goods, in particular food. 52 Meanwhile, democratic reform movements arose in eastern European countries and the legitimacy of Communist rule was challenged. Gorbachev rejected the “Brezhnev doctrine” 53 and made little effort to support the Communist governments in these nations. Most of them either collapsed or were reconstituted as democratically oriented regimes with the Communist party in a minor role. Gorbachev’s hands-off policy made possible the reunification of Germany in 1990. 4 East Germany in 1989 removed its communist leaders55; the Berlin Wall came down and full German unification occurred in 1990. 56 In 1991, Gorbachev negotiated a power-sharing treaty with most of the union republics. 57 In August, before the treaty was signed, a group of hardline Communists overthrew Gorbachev and seized control of the government. 58 The coup failed very fast because of the large amount of opposition led by Boris Yeltsin and the failure of important military units to support the coup. Gorbachev survived the attempted coup because of popular support and eventually returned to power.

The failed effort led to renewed attacks on the Communist party and to independence movements by minority nationalities. The only violence occurred in Romania when an authoritarian ruler was overthrown. The Communists retained power, through elections, in Bulgaria and Romania. In addition, Gorbachev quit his position as general secretary. 59 A new transitional government designed to give more power to the 15 republics was established. Nationalism continued to rise among the republics. In September of 1991, the Soviet government noticed that Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia were all independent. 0 By November, practically all the rest of the republics had proclaimed their wish for independence from the Soviet Union but at the same time to keep a unified economic economy. On December 8th, Russia, Ukraine, and Byelorussia formed a loose confederation known as the Commonwealth of Independent States, 61 otherwise known as the CIS. By the end of that same month, around December 21, all of the rest of the republics joined the CIS, except for Georgia. 62 In The Baltic republics declared independence and other regions threatened to secede.

By the end of 1991 the Soviet Union had been replaced by a loose union of republics. 63 Gorbachev became very unhappy and on December 25, 1991, Gorbachev resigned as president of the Soviet Union. 64 This ultimately ended the nation. The Communist party was dissolved. Continuing uncertainty showed in 1993 when Yeltsin clashed with the parliament. 65 Yeltsin and the army triumphed and elections followed to produce another constitution. In the midst of continuing political confusion two trends predominated: the economy was weak and there was a breakdown of values and discipline.

Crime flourished and growing economic class divisions threatened stability. The new situation in Eastern Europe was marred by ethnic clashes. Yugoslavia fell apart and brutal fighting broke out among its former components. The new governments faced serious economic and environmental problems. Communist parties in Poland and Hungary won elections in 1993-199466 because of economic grievances, but did not attempt to restore the former system because of agitation among minority nationalities; some demanded independence.

Although there were several changes over the last decade in Eastern Europe, the 20th century brought fewer changes. The Soviets claimed they were allowing equality for women, but never actually did. 67 They also had negotiated a federation between republics, but minority nationalists were constantly under ethnic Russian control and continued to want to be in charge of their own affairs. However religion maintained a dominant role in the state. People continued to be interested in Western culture, especially in the east European nations. 8 Components of the communist past survive still survive to this very day. The loss of superpower status is resented and the prospects of democratic leadership are insecure. East Europeans whole-heartedly value the benefits of communist welfare social protections and social inequality limits, hoping to combine such ideas with capitalist tendencies. The Russian emphasis on authoritarian government with extreme centralization of power remained. The emphasis on territorial acquisition was maintained with the domination of Eastern Europe after 1945. 9 Among the continuities were a sense of cultural isolation from the West, Russian ethnic domination over minority ethnic and religious groups, and the predominance of the novel as a literary form. Among the differences were the destruction of the powerful landholding aristocracy, the lack of emphasis of the role of Orthodox Christianity, the creation of an industrialized society with a social hierarchy, the presence of household patterns typical of an industrialized state, the attempt to introduce "socialist realism"70 into the arts, and the collapse of isolation

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