As soviet economy was closely tied to the economies of Eastern Europe through Comecon → it found itself at helm of an economically weaker alliance
- therefore unsurprising → that USSR began to struggle
- so did some of communist regimes in EE which were very dependent on Soviet Support
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Besides relying on Soviet Subsidies for oil and resources, EE countries → borrowed heavily from Western Banks in 1970s.
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Many private western banks → were willing to loan money to them → as they regarded EE as a profitable market → reasoning that USSR would come to aid of its satellites as a secure creditor
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consequently → EE countries attained debt levels → highest in the world
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addition → USSR formed Warsaw Pact, 1955 with communist states of EE in 1955.
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theory → Warsaw pact was a defensive treaty signed to protect USSR and allies from any external threats
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reality → primary purpose to protect communist regimes in EE from internal threats
What Happened When Serious protests against communist role broke out in some of these states
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Hungarian Revolution, 1956
- after WWII → Soviet forces occupied Hungary + established communist regime under leadership of Matyas Rakosi
- 1956 → widespread protests against communist regime led to formation of → new govt → under nationalist Imre Nagy
- Nagy announced → Hungary would withdraw from Warsaw Pact + be neutral, multi party social democracy.
- However soviet tanks + troops invaded Hungary → crushed popular revolution + overthrew Nagy’s govt
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Prague Spring, 1968
- was period of liberal reforms in Czechoslovakia under newly elected communist leader Alexander Dubcek
- Dubcek believed → communist regime polices were not working + began introducing more democratic reforms
- same fat as Hungarian revolution
- other members of Warsaw Pact, led by USSR → invaded Czechoslovakia and crushed new govt
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Poland and Solidarity, 1970s
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late 1970s → Polish economy hit crisis
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rising food prices → led to growing wave of strikes in 1980s
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this would galvanise Polish workers → who were involved in setting up small, independent trade unions → due to inefficiency of the official trade union in Poland
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Headed by Lech Walesa → these trade unions merged → form the independent trade union, Solidarity + gained increasing popularity
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solidarity → led series of controlled strikes → push for economic reforms + free elections
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also pushed for involvement of trade unions in decisions made by govt
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however → situation changed in Feb 1981
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Civilian PM → Stanislaw Kania → forced to resign → for criticising USSR
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leader of army, General Jaruzelski took over.
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Dec → Brezhnev → ordered Red Army → carry out “Training Manoeuvres” → on polish border
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Jaruzelski → introduced martial law
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Walesa + 10000 other solidarity members → put in prison + solidarity banned
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