Soviet Union And Its Satellite Flashcards, test questions and answers
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What is Soviet Union And Its Satellite?
The Soviet Union was a superpower that not only held great influence over its own citizens, but also held considerable sway over the smaller countries that surrounded it. These satellite states were heavily influenced by the Soviet Union’s politics, culture, and economy. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, these satellite states had to find their own way in an uncertain world.The most important relationship among these countries was between the Soviet Union and its closest neighborsthe Eastern Bloc countries of Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic and Slovakia), Hungary, Poland, Romania, and East Germany (German Democratic Republic). These nations had become part of the Warsaw Pact military alliance in 1955; they agreed to abide by communist principles while maintaining their independence from Moscow’s direct control. They followed Moscow’s lead on all major foreign policy decisions. In return for economic aid from Moscow and access to markets for their goods, they maintained diplomatic ties with other communist countries as well as with non-communist nations such as India or Japan. Additionally, all of these satellites participated in joint military exercises with Russia and accepted Russian advisors into key government positions within each country. At times this relationship could be strained; for example when Hungarian forces cracked down on a student uprising in 1956 or when Polish protesters sought more freedom during Solidarity’s 1980 movement against communism. Despite these bumps in the road however, overall relations remained cordial until 1991 when 1989’s Velvet Revolution brought an end to socialist rule across Eastern Europe In addition to the Eastern Bloc nations there were two other satellitesAlbania and Yugoslaviathat maintained somewhat closer ties with Moscow than did their fellow satellites due largely to geography: both lay outside of the Iron Curtain that divided Europe into East and West during Cold War decades before 1991’s Velvet Revolution ended Russia’s hegemony in Europe. The close relationship between Albania and Yugoslavia resulted from enmity between Greece (where both states are located)and Turkey which formed an anti-western bloc along with Albania and Yugoslavia throughout much of twentieth century history. As such both Albanian leaders Enver Hoxha (1944-1985)and Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito( 1945 1980 ) received much support from Kremlin including economic aid loans ,military equipment ,arms supplies ,and political backing against western powers .Yugoslavia especially became very influential under Tito who developed a philosophy called titoism which sought to balance cooperation with