TOPIC 6 – USSR AND EASTERN EUROPE 1948-1989
, SUMMER 2021
0470_s21_qp_12 2021 SUMMER Paper 1 Variant 2
https://papers.gceguide.com/Cambridge%20IGCSE/History%20(0470)/2021/0470_s21_qp_12.pdf
https://papers.gceguide.com/Cambridge%20IGCSE/History%20(0470)/2021/0470_s21_ms_12.pdf Topic 6 How secure was
the USSR’s control over Eastern Europe, 1948–c.1989?
8 After decades of problems in parts of Eastern Europe, Soviet control finally collapsed.
(a) Describe how the Soviet Union responded to the uprising in Hungary in 1956. [4]
(b) Why was it important for the Soviet Union to stop Dubček’s reform programme in Czechoslovakia? [6]
(c) Are you surprised that Gorbachev made little effort to defend Soviet power in Eastern Europe? Explain your answer. [10]
P E/E/L
NO – SOVIET • Gorbachev realized that the Soviet Union’s economy was failing
UNION’S • Afghanistan → The Soviet Union was competing in an unwinnable arms race, and the Soviet actions were condemned by
FAILING other nations who put pressure on the Soviet Union. 10,000 soldiers were lost.
ECONOMY • He knew that they could not afford to keep putting down attempted uprisings against the Communist control – they
couldn’t afford it
NO – HIS • His reforms were not following the Communism ideology / typical Communism terms
REFORMS • ‘perestroika’ → restructuring:
➢ Private ownership of land, allowing foreign investment in Russian businesses, allow trade with non-eastern bloc
countries
• ‘glasnost’ → openness:
➢ Freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom for media (this allowed citizens to criticize politicians and
expose the government for being corrupt)
• It was clear that he had realized that the Eastern European countries should be allowed to choose their own future and
decide for themselves
NO – MANY • Unsurprising because he saw how many nations hated the Communist Control
COUNTRIES • Czechoslovakia 1968:
HATED THE ➢ Czechoslovaks hated how Communism was controlling and restricting
CONTROL ➢ Living standards in Czechoslovakia were incredibly poor
➢ Dubcek and the ‘Prague Spring’: Abolition of censorship, freedom of speech (can criticize government), freedom of
movement, increased rights for workers
➢ Made clear that Czechoslovakia didn’t want to leave WARSAW
• Hungary 1956:
➢ Hungarians despised the Communist rule: censorship, secret police, restrictions on education, and religion was
banned for being subversive
➢ Living standards were very poor → Industrial goods and food produce were being sent to Russia
, ➢ Hungarians hated their hard-line communist leader Rákosi, who was then replaced by Gerö, who was then
replaced by Nagy
➢ Nagy introduced a new plan: free elections, private ownership, withdraw from WARSAW pact, make Soviet Troops
withdraw
YES – BUFFER • It was surprising because Eastern Europe was seen as a ‘buffer zone’ against the west
ZONE • Stalin had worked hard to create this ‘Soviet Sphere of Influence’ – he didn’t want the Soviet Union to be attacked by
other nations
• Germany invaded twice in the twentieth century
• The Berlin wall was made as a barrier so the people of the East couldn’t escape to the West
• This is why the Soviets put down so many uprisings
• It was surprising that Gorbachev didn’t do anything – he was potentially risking the Soviet Union’s safety.
YES – • The Soviet Union had put in so much effort to put down Uprisings in the past
UPRISINGS • Hungary 1956:
WERE PUT ➢ Hungarians despised the Communist rule: censorship, secret police, restrictions on education, and religion was
DOWN banned for being subversive
➢ Living standards were very poor → Industrial goods and food produce were being sent to Russia
➢ Hungarians hated their hard-line communist leader Rákosi, who was then replaced by Gerö, who was then
replaced by Nagy
➢ Nagy introduced a new plan: free elections, private ownership, withdraw from WARSAW pact, make Soviet Troops
withdraw
• The Soviets reacted very harshly to this.
• At first, Khurshchev seemed to accept these reforms – but was not prepared for Hungary to leave the WARSAW pact
• 4th November 1956 → 1000 tanks into Budapest (capital) and bitter fighting took place. There was an estimated 10,000
deaths and around 200,000 fled the country
• Surprising that Gorbachev made little effort because of how much effort was put into stopping nations from gaining
independence.
, SUMMER 2021
0470_s21_qp_12 2021 SUMMER Paper 1 Variant 2
https://papers.gceguide.com/Cambridge%20IGCSE/History%20(0470)/2021/0470_s21_qp_12.pdf
https://papers.gceguide.com/Cambridge%20IGCSE/History%20(0470)/2021/0470_s21_ms_12.pdf Topic 6 How secure was
the USSR’s control over Eastern Europe, 1948–c.1989?
8 After decades of problems in parts of Eastern Europe, Soviet control finally collapsed.
(a) Describe how the Soviet Union responded to the uprising in Hungary in 1956. [4]
(b) Why was it important for the Soviet Union to stop Dubček’s reform programme in Czechoslovakia? [6]
(c) Are you surprised that Gorbachev made little effort to defend Soviet power in Eastern Europe? Explain your answer. [10]
P E/E/L
NO – SOVIET • Gorbachev realized that the Soviet Union’s economy was failing
UNION’S • Afghanistan → The Soviet Union was competing in an unwinnable arms race, and the Soviet actions were condemned by
FAILING other nations who put pressure on the Soviet Union. 10,000 soldiers were lost.
ECONOMY • He knew that they could not afford to keep putting down attempted uprisings against the Communist control – they
couldn’t afford it
NO – HIS • His reforms were not following the Communism ideology / typical Communism terms
REFORMS • ‘perestroika’ → restructuring:
➢ Private ownership of land, allowing foreign investment in Russian businesses, allow trade with non-eastern bloc
countries
• ‘glasnost’ → openness:
➢ Freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom for media (this allowed citizens to criticize politicians and
expose the government for being corrupt)
• It was clear that he had realized that the Eastern European countries should be allowed to choose their own future and
decide for themselves
NO – MANY • Unsurprising because he saw how many nations hated the Communist Control
COUNTRIES • Czechoslovakia 1968:
HATED THE ➢ Czechoslovaks hated how Communism was controlling and restricting
CONTROL ➢ Living standards in Czechoslovakia were incredibly poor
➢ Dubcek and the ‘Prague Spring’: Abolition of censorship, freedom of speech (can criticize government), freedom of
movement, increased rights for workers
➢ Made clear that Czechoslovakia didn’t want to leave WARSAW
• Hungary 1956:
➢ Hungarians despised the Communist rule: censorship, secret police, restrictions on education, and religion was
banned for being subversive
➢ Living standards were very poor → Industrial goods and food produce were being sent to Russia
, ➢ Hungarians hated their hard-line communist leader Rákosi, who was then replaced by Gerö, who was then
replaced by Nagy
➢ Nagy introduced a new plan: free elections, private ownership, withdraw from WARSAW pact, make Soviet Troops
withdraw
YES – BUFFER • It was surprising because Eastern Europe was seen as a ‘buffer zone’ against the west
ZONE • Stalin had worked hard to create this ‘Soviet Sphere of Influence’ – he didn’t want the Soviet Union to be attacked by
other nations
• Germany invaded twice in the twentieth century
• The Berlin wall was made as a barrier so the people of the East couldn’t escape to the West
• This is why the Soviets put down so many uprisings
• It was surprising that Gorbachev didn’t do anything – he was potentially risking the Soviet Union’s safety.
YES – • The Soviet Union had put in so much effort to put down Uprisings in the past
UPRISINGS • Hungary 1956:
WERE PUT ➢ Hungarians despised the Communist rule: censorship, secret police, restrictions on education, and religion was
DOWN banned for being subversive
➢ Living standards were very poor → Industrial goods and food produce were being sent to Russia
➢ Hungarians hated their hard-line communist leader Rákosi, who was then replaced by Gerö, who was then
replaced by Nagy
➢ Nagy introduced a new plan: free elections, private ownership, withdraw from WARSAW pact, make Soviet Troops
withdraw
• The Soviets reacted very harshly to this.
• At first, Khurshchev seemed to accept these reforms – but was not prepared for Hungary to leave the WARSAW pact
• 4th November 1956 → 1000 tanks into Budapest (capital) and bitter fighting took place. There was an estimated 10,000
deaths and around 200,000 fled the country
• Surprising that Gorbachev made little effort because of how much effort was put into stopping nations from gaining
independence.
