How did Eastern Europe become part of the Soviet bloc?

During the opening stages of World War II, the Soviet Union created the Eastern Bloc (the group of communist states of Central and Eastern Europe during the Cold War) by invading and then annexing several countries as Soviet Socialist Republics by agreement with Nazi Germany in the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.

Why did the Soviet Union want Eastern Europe?

After World War Two a Cold War developed between the capitalist Western countries and the Communist countries of the Eastern Bloc. Soviet leader Joseph Stalin wanted a buffer zone of friendly Communist countries to protect the USSR from further attack in the future.

What countries were annexed by the Soviet Union?

The Soviet Union subsequently annexed the Baltic States, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, as well as Moldova in 1940. Several other territories (modern-day Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Armenia) had been annexed prior to 1939.

Why did the Eastern Bloc collapse?

Mikhail Gorbachev’s reformist policies in the Soviet Union fuelled opposition movements to the Communist regimes in the Soviet bloc countries. The structures of the Eastern bloc disintegrated with the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact and Comecon. The Soviet Union broke up into independent republics.

When did the Soviet Union take over Eastern Europe?

Timeline of Soviet takeover of Eastern Europe. A communist government took power at the end of World War Two. In 1946 the Bulgarian monarchy was abolished and later that year a communist government was elected and gradually eradicated its opponents.

How did the Soviet Union maintain its status as a superpower?

The Soviet Union maintained its status as one of the world’s two superpowers for four decades through its hegemony in Eastern Europe, military strength, economic strength, aid to developing countries, and scientific research, especially in space technology and weaponry.

Why didn’t the Soviet Union fight in World War II?

At the end of WWII the Soviets were standing face-to-face with American, British, and French troops (and German, for that matter, too), so any new hostilities would not be to the Soviet advantage – they would now be facing the world’s best armies. So, Stalin and the Kremlin would rather avoid causing riots behind their backs.

Why did the Soviet Union want a buffer zone in Europe?

Soviet leader Joseph Stalin wanted a buffer zone of friendly Communist countries to protect the USSR from further attack in the future. However, British Prime Minister Clement Attlee and US President Harry Trueman made it clear at Yalta and Potsdam that this was unacceptable to the Western governments.