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Russia and Eastern Europe in the Cold War, 1945-1963

Russia and Eastern Europe in the Cold War, 1945-1963. Russia and Eastern Europe in the Cold War, 1945-1963. 1. Russia under Stalin Stalin reintroduces oppressive policies Struggles with the US justified rigid measures Over 12 million deaths of Soviet citizens (1946-53), mostly in gulags.

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Russia and Eastern Europe in the Cold War, 1945-1963

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  1. Russia and Eastern Europe in the Cold War, 1945-1963

  2. Russia and Eastern Europe in the Cold War, 1945-1963 • 1. Russia under Stalin • Stalin reintroduces oppressive policies • Struggles with the US justified rigid measures • Over 12 million deaths of Soviet citizens (1946-53), mostly in gulags. • 5-Year Plans reintroducedto deal with massive reconstruction • Culture and art that was considered anti-Soviet, anti-Stalin, anti-communist were purged

  3. Russia and Eastern Europe in the Cold War, 1945-1963 • 2. Eastern Europe • Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, E. Germany, Bulgaria, Romania, and Albania • Single-party, communist states established. • Only Yugoslavia resisted Soviet domination • It had freed itself of Nazi rule and had a mixed economy. • 500K Czechs purged. 200K arrested in Hungary, 180K arrested in Romania • Uprising in E. Germany crushed by Soviets

  4. Russia and Eastern Europe in the Cold War, 1945-1963 • Eastern European economies were modeled on Soviet system (5-Year Plans and forced collectivization • Emphasis on heavy industry. Little investment in consumer products • Czechoslovakia may be the economic exception. • Well-industrialized, strong middle class, large working class

  5. Russia and Eastern Europe in the Cold War, 1945-1963 • Russia under Khrushchev • De-Stalinization in Russia after 20th Party Congress Speech • gradual closing of gulags • Poor grain production; agriculture in bad shape • Shortages of consumer goods led to investment • Arts/Literature flourish - Boris Pasternak (Dr. Zhivago); AleksandrSolzenitsyn(One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich)

  6. Russia andEastern Europe in the Cold War, 1945-1963 • Eastern Europe under Khrushchev • Poland • Wladyslaw Gomulka wins greater autonomy for Poland. He had previously been purged. • Hungarian Uprising 1956 • Imre Nagy – Liberal communist reformer • Hungarian nationalists rebel against Soviet domination • US does nothing after uprising is crushed by USSR • Berlin Wall constructed 1961

  7. Russia and Eastern Europe in the Cold War, 1945-1963 • Russia’s relations with the US under Khrushchev • “peaceful coexistence” w/ West • Austrian independence 1955 • Sputnik launch • Great victory for USSR; “Space race” begins • 1958, Khrushchev issues ultimatum for US to get out of Berlin • U2 spy plane shot down over USSR; Eisenhower refuses to apologize for spying • Cuban Missile Crisis

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