Extent of Soviet Control Notes

Extent of Soviet Control (1968–1989)

1. Bulgaria
   1. One of the most loyal Soviet allies.
   2. Leader Todor Zhivkov followed Moscow’s policies closely and supported the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia.
   3. Economic and military cooperation with the USSR was strong.
   4. Little open opposition due to tight political control and the absence of major nationalist movements.

1. Czechoslovakia
   1. After the Prague Spring (1968), a period called “Normalization” began under Gustáv Husák, restoring strict communist control.
   2. Opposition survived underground, notably with Charter 77, a human rights movement led by intellectuals such as Václav Havel.
   3. Havel later became a key figure in the Velvet Revolution (1989), which peacefully ended communist rule.
2. East Germany (GDR)
   1. The GDR was economically dependent on the USSR and acted as one of its most reliable satellites.
   2. The Stasi secret police maintained intense surveillance, limiting open protest.
   3. Economic stability and welfare programs bought a degree of public compliance.
3. Hungary
   1. Leader János Kádár introduced “Goulash Communism” (limited market reforms and better living standards in exchange for political loyalty to the USSR.)
   2. This reduced open unrest, but Hungarians maintained quiet resentment toward Soviet dominance.
   3. By the late 1980s, reformist movements began demanding political change, leading to Hungary’s transition to democracy in 1989.

1. Romania
   1. Leader Nicolae Ceaușescu pursued a more independent foreign policy, often opposing Soviet decisions
   2. His domestic rule was highly repressive, with strict censorship and a cult of personality.
   3. Economic decline and food shortages in the 1980s
   4. Opposition exploded in December 1989, resulting in Ceaușescu’s overthrow and execution.

1. Poland
   1. The Solidarity movement (founded in 1980) was led by shipyard worker Lech Wałęsa.
   2. Solidarity became the first independent trade union in the Eastern Bloc, demanding political reform.
   3. Martial law was declared in 1981 to suppress it.
   4. By 1989, Solidarity forced negotiations that led to free elections and the end of communist rule.