IGCSE History: USSR Control 1948-1989

False (B)

Imre Nagy

<p>USSR</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Mátyás Rákosi = Hungary's communist leader before Imre Nagy Imre Nagy = Leader who proposed reforms to resolve unrest October 1956 = Time of violent protests in Budapest Khrushchev = Soviet leader who changed Hungary's leadership</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Velvet Revolution (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Ceaușescu and his family were executed.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Velvet</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Crossing of East Berliners to West Berlin (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Velvet Revolution = Czechoslovakia Fall of the Berlin Wall = East Germany Ceaușescu's execution = Romania Mass protests = Bulgaria</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>1990</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Hungary's withdrawal could lead other satellite states to do the same. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Tito</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>collective security</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Khrushchev fully supported Nagy’s withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>They made Communism look bad.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Hungary = Attempted reforms under Nagy Yugoslavia = Independent Communist state under Tito Czechoslovakia = Had uprisings in 1968 Poland = Instigated protests during the 1950s</p> Signup and view all the answers

Mátyás Rákosi, a communist leader of Hungary, implemented strict control over the country. He aimed to transform Hungary into an industrial powerhouse, focusing on iron and steel production despite the lack of local iron ore resources.

In October 1956, students in Budapest led peaceful protests, demanding greater political and personal freedoms. However, their peaceful demonstrations were met with suppression by the Hungarian secret police, escalating the situation.

The Hungarian Communist government, facing escalating unrest and protests, sought assistance from the Soviet Union to regain control and suppress the uprising.

After restoring order in Budapest, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev decided to replace Rákosi with Imre Nagy as Hungary's leader. Khrushchev believed that Nagy's leadership would appease the Hungarian people and quell the unrest.

Imre Nagy, the newly appointed leader of Hungary, introduced limited reforms aimed at addressing popular grievances and reducing public discontent. He believed that these concessions would discourage further protests.

The Hungarian Uprising of 1956 pressured Khrushchev to allow some reforms. This was partly because the protests made Communism appear unfavorable in the eyes of Western nations.

Khrushchev opposed Hungary's withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact because this weakened the USSR's control over Eastern Europe and its ability to defend itself. The USSR needed Hungary to remain in the Warsaw Pact.

Khrushchev's fear of more independent Communist states in Eastern Europe stemmed from the example of Yugoslavia, which broke away from the USSR's influence in 1948 and formed closer ties with the West. Tito's leadership in Yugoslavia challenged the USSR's model of Communism.

Khrushchev suppressed the Hungarian Uprising with brute military force, ultimately crushing the reform movement and reasserting Soviet control. The Hungarian people's aspirations for greater autonomy were violently suppressed.

The Hungarian Uprising was sparked by a combination of factors, including dissatisfaction with the Soviet-imposed regime, economic hardships, and a desire for political freedoms. The Hungarian people's discontent boiled over into a popular uprising against Soviet domination.

The Hungarian Uprising had a profound impact on the Cold War, demonstrating the willingness of the Soviet Union to use force to maintain control over its satellites. The Uprising exposed the cracks within the Soviet bloc and raised concerns about the Soviet Union's commitment to its own ideology.

The Hungarian Uprising challenged Soviet dominance in Eastern Europe and demonstrated the potential for resistance against Soviet control. It also highlighted the growing dissatisfaction with Soviet rule among people in the satellite states.

Khrushchev's reaction to the Hungarian Uprising was a mix of concessions and repression. Khrushchev's initial concessions to Hungary were driven by a desire to maintain international legitimacy and contain the spread of unrest to the satellite states. The Hungarian Uprising ultimately forced Khrushchev to backtrack on these promises and choose brutality to preserve Soviet control.

The Solidarity movement was a social movement in Poland that challenged the Communist government's authoritarian rule. It was founded by Lech Wałęsa and gained significant public support. It played a crucial role in the eventual collapse of the Soviet-backed communist regime in Poland.

The fall of the Berlin Wall was a pivotal event in the collapse of the Soviet Bloc. It marked the end of East Germany's communist regime and the beginning of reunification with West Germany. The event occurred when East German officials mistakenly made a policy error, allowing East Berliners to cross to West Berlin.

The Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia was a peaceful transition to democracy that replaced the Communist government. It was sparked by student protests and widespread public demonstrations against the regime. Popular support led to the resignation of President Husák, the last communist leader in the country.

The Romanian Revolution was a violent uprising that ended the communist dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu. While protests began on December 21st, 1989, by December 22nd, the government saw the army turn against them. On Christmas Day, Ceaușescu and his family were executed.

The Bulgarian Revolution was a peaceful change of power that led to the end of the Communist Party's rule in Bulgaria. After protests, Petar Mladenov, the leader of Bulgaria, abandoned communist policies. He resigned on national television on December 11th, 1989.

The collapse of Yugoslavia was a process that saw the disintegration of Yugoslavia into seven separate states. Tensions between different ethnic groups and economic disparities played a key role in the breakup.

The Warsaw Pact was a military alliance formed between the Soviet Union and its satellites in Eastern Europe. The alliance aimed to counter NATO's influence and solidify Soviet dominance in the region. Following the fall of communist regimes in Eastern Europe, the Warsaw Pact dissolved, marking a significant decline in Soviet power.

The end of the USSR marked the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the collapse of the communist bloc. The reforms and revolutions in Eastern Europe played a significant role in weakening the Soviet Union's control and ultimately led to its breakup.