Post-WWII+Revolutions+in+Soviet+Sphere+of+Influence

Jacob Inman

Where did revolutions take place in the Soviet sphere of influence and what were the results?

Thesis: Many revolutions took place in the Soviet's sphere of influence after WWII, where some were successful in earned their freedom from Communism and others did not.

Failed Revolts(P1): Successful Revolts(P2 and 3):
 * Czechoslovakia 1968:
 * lead by Dubcek
 * "Prague Spring"
 * Dubcek wanted to put a "human face" on socialism, and gave many rights to people
 * an attempt to liberalize Communist rule
 * crushed by Soviet tanks
 * Hungary 1956
 * led by Nagy
 * promised free elections
 * Khruschev sent in Red Army to crush rebellion
 * put Kadar in charge after fall of revolt
 * East Germany 1990:
 * had the strongest economy in all Soviet sphere
 * mass exodus's from East Germany
 * ended up opening borders to West Germany and the two halves of Germany became one
 * still, there was a "wall" in the people's heads
 * Yugoslavia 1990:
 * Communist tried to intervene when Tito died
 * "ethnic cleansing" by Bosnia Serbs
 * brutal fighting and riots
 * ended by the Dayton Accords
 * Poland 1990's:
 * creation of the Solidarity
 * led by Walesa
 * rapid market reforms
 * ended 45 years of Communist rule is Poland
 * Hungary 1980's:
 * Kadar legalized small private shops
 * new parties started to form after dissatisfaction with the sagging economy
 * Undertook reforms
 * Communist parties failed to get enough votes to rule Hungary
 * Czechoslovakia 1980's:
 * writers and other intellectuals onlyones who provided any real opposition to government for a while
 * government attempted to suppress mass demonstrations
 * new opposition group, the Civil Forum
 * crowds started forming (as big as 500,000)
 * ethnic issues made the state become Czech Republic and Slovakia
 * still shifted to non - Communism

http://www.coldwar.org/articles/60s/CzechoslovakiaUprising.asp

http://www.remote.org/frederik/culture/berlin/