Reasons

League

    •  Weak.

          ◦  But NB: USA worked w. League in 1930s (eg opposed Manchukuo, Chaco War, Abyssinia) … ie this is not main reason.

Stalin annexed (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) + E. Poland as Red Army pushed the Nazis back(1944-45).

By 1946-47, Communist govts in all E. European states occupied by USSR.

    •  Churchill feared Soviet expansion during WW2 → clashed w. Stalin at Tehran (1943).

    •  1944: Churchill met Stalin in Moscow → ‘’ (split influence in E. Europe: eg. Romania 90-10, Greece 10-90, Hungary 50-50).

    •  Stalin later took full control of states but kept promise to stay out of Greece.

       "What is surprising about the fact that the Soviet Union, , wants governments friendly to it in Finland, Poland and Romania?" (Stalin, 1946_

How did Stalin take control?

Hungarian Communist Rakosi: called it ‘’ → eliminating opposition bit-by-bit:

    •  Albania (1945): Communists took power w/o opposition.

    •  Bulgaria (1945): Left-wing coalition won; Communists opposition leaders.

    •  Poland (1947): Coalition gov. in 1945; Stalin arrested non-Communists + forced them into .

    •  Romania (1945–47): Left-wing coalition elected in 1945; Communists gradually took over.

    •  Hungary (1947): USSR troops remained after 1945.

          ◦  Elections held, but (pro-USSR) pressured opposition.

          ◦  Gained control of police → (brutal secret police) arrested Smallholders Party members.

          ◦  Gen. Sec. Béla Kovács to USSR, PM Ferenc Nagy (son threatened).

          ◦  By 1947, Rakosi had full control.

    •  Czechoslovakia (1945–48): Left-wing coalition in 1945; Communists /killed opponents (1948).

    •  E. Germany (1949): USSR turned its zone into German Democratic Republic.

Stalin annexed BALTIC STATES (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) + E. Poland as Red Army pushed the Nazis back(1944-45).

By 1946-47, Communist govts in all E. European states occupied by USSR.

    •  Churchill feared Soviet expansion during WW2 → clashed w. Stalin at Tehran (1943).

    •  1944: Churchill met Stalin in Moscow → ‘PERCENTAGES AGREEMENT’ (split influence in E. Europe: eg. Romania 90-10, Greece 10-90, Hungary 50-50).

    •  Stalin later took full control of IRON CURTAIN states but kept promise to stay out of Greece.

       "What is surprising about the fact that the Soviet Union, WORRIED ABOUT ITS FUTURE SAFETY, wants governments friendly to it in Finland, Poland and Romania?" (Stalin, 1946_

How did Stalin take control?

Hungarian Communist Rakosi: called it ‘SLICING SALAMI’ → eliminating opposition bit-by-bit:

    •  Albania (1945): Communists took power w/o opposition.

    •  Bulgaria (1945): Left-wing coalition won; Communists EXECUTED opposition leaders.

    •  Poland (1947): Coalition gov. in 1945; Stalin arrested non-Communists + forced them into EXILE.

    •  Romania (1945–47): Left-wing coalition elected in 1945; Communists gradually took over.

    •  Hungary (1947): USSR troops remained after 1945.

          ◦  Elections held, but RAKOSI (pro-USSR) pressured opposition.

          ◦  Gained control of police → AVO (brutal secret police) arrested Smallholders Party members.

          ◦  Gen. Sec. Béla Kovács DEPORTED to USSR, PM Ferenc Nagy RESIGNED (son threatened).

          ◦  By 1947, Rakosi had full control.

    •  Czechoslovakia (1945–48): Left-wing coalition in 1945; Communists BANNED/killed opponents (1948).

    •  E. Germany (1949): USSR turned its zone into German Democratic Republic.