Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2024
First exams 2026
The Creation of Soviet Satellite States (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Zoe Wade
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
How did the Communist Satellite States Worsen Cold War Tensions? - Timeline & Summary
Tensions between the USA and the Soviet Union were made worse following the demonstration of the atomic bombs on Japan and the Long Telegram and Novikov Telegram in 1946. Stalin was concerned for the security of the Soviet Union. He wanted to establish a ‘buffer zone’ between the Soviet Union and the West. To do this, communist governments in Poland, Hungary and Romania would need to be created. However, free elections in Eastern Europe had been one of the agreements at the Yalta conference. Attempts to spread communism in Eastern Europe would be seen as aggressive by Britain and the USA. Nevertheless, by 1948, the Soviet Union had incorporated a number of ‘satellite states’ under its control. Intimidation and violence were used in several countries to ensure elections were swayed towards the communists. As a result, Truman created both the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan to protect other countries from falling into communist hands. |
Why did Stalin Want Control of Eastern Europe?
The Soviet Red Army had liberated many countries in Eastern Europe from Nazi control at the end of the Second World War
Stalin wanted to keep control of these countries to act as a ‘buffer zone’ between the East and West
These countries were called satellite states because of how they seemed to orbit the Soviet Union
Truman’s concern about the spread of communism was confirmed as each country fell under Soviet control
Churchill’s ‘Iron Curtain’ speech was in response to the creation of satellite states such as Hungary, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria
The ‘Baltic States’, 1940
The ‘Baltic States’ were taken over by the Soviet Union during the Second World War
While the Soviet Union saw them as legitimate Soviet states, they saw their incorporation into the Soviet Union as illegal
Poland and The Warsaw Uprising, 1944-45
In 1944, the Soviet Red Army waited until the Warsaw Uprising had been crushed before occupying Poland
At the Yalta conference, the Grand Alliance had agreed to allow free elections to be held in Poland
However, Stalin was concerned that free elections would lead to a non-communist government being elected
A coalition government was created in June 1945 featuring mainly communist supporters and a few members of the London Poles
During the 1947 elections, a campaign of violence and intimidation led to the creation of a fully communist government
Romania, Bulgaria and East Germany, 1944-45
It was agreed by the Allies at the Yalta Conference that East Germany would be under the Soviet Union's influence
Romania and Bulgaria both lost their monarchies, which were replaced by communist governments
Hungary 1945-49
Non-communists won the 1945 election in Hungary
However, a communist politician called Rakosi took control of the secret police and imprisoned political opponents
After the Prime Minister of Hungary resigned, the Communists won the 1947 election
All other political parties were banned in 1949
Czechoslovakia 1948
Czechoslovakia had been a democracy from 1919 to 1938 until it was occupied by Nazi Germany
After the war, a coalition government was led by a non-communist called Edward Benes
Stalin saw this as a threat to his ‘buffer zone’ and wanted a communist government in power
In 1948, a coup led by the pro-communist Klement Gottwald took over the government with support from the Soviet Union
Communism in Yugoslavia and Albania
Yugoslavia and Albania were considered satellite states, even though they were never occupied by the Soviet Red Army
They were given more independence than countries neighbouring the Soviet Union
Map of the Eastern Bloc
The USA’s Reaction to the Satellite States
At both the Yalta and Potsdam conferences, Roosevelt and Churchill had accepted that the Soviet Union would influence Eastern Europe
However, they also saw free elections as an important part of post-war Europe
Truman saw the creation of satellite states as a deliberate attempt to spread communism
Churchill’s ‘Iron Curtain’ speech in 1946 worsened relations between East and West, especially between the USA and the Soviet Union
The satellite states challenged Truman’s policy of containment, prompting him to establish the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan
Worked Example
Explain the importance of the creation of the satellite states in Eastern Europe on US-Soviet relations
8 marks
Partial answer:
The creation of the satellite states in Eastern Europe worsened US-Soviet relations. From 1945 to 1948, Stalin instructed the Red Army to invade various Eastern European countries such as Poland. He ensured a communist government was formed by rigging elections and using violence. This worsened US-Soviet relations as, at the Yalta conference, Stalin had promised the USA that they would allow free elections in Eastern Europe. Stalin's actions violated this promise. This worsened US-Soviet relations as the USA became more hostile to the Soviet Union. It created a lack of trust and fear in the Soviet Union's actions, leading to the USA trying to 'contain' the spread of communism.
Examiner Tips and Tricks
This style of question in the exam paper would be worth 8 marks. An examiner would expect you to write two paragraphs analysing the importance of an event on a wider theme like US-Soviet relations. A good response to this style of question would have:
A logical structure of paragraphs. Within each paragraph, each sentence should link to the next. This will build a strong argument as to why the event is important to the wider theme
Specific own knowledge linked to the event, showing in-depth knowledge of the period
A clear explanation as to why the event was important to a wider theme. In the example above, you can see the phrase 'this worsened US-Soviet relations' is used frequently. This helps to keep the response focused on the question
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