The End of the Totalitarian Regimes

in Eastern Europe
1) Destabilization of the regimes in Eastern Europe
A) The first discontent in the satellite to the USSR states began in 1953. It was set by the
common strike of the coal workers in Moravian Ostrava (Poland). In Hungary thousands of
people were closed in a campaign directed against the peasants. They were the majority of
the population and supported the Independent party of the petty rural owners. In GDR
serious turmoil broke out which the government crushed with Soviet tanks.
B) Moscow decided to change its attitude to the states from Eastern Europe. The execution of
the leader of the Soviet secret service and marshal of the USSR Laurentia Beria on 23
December 1953 was not enough for the new governors. In February 1956 was held XX
congress of the Communist party of the USSR, where Hruschov pronounced a report” For
the cult to the person and its consequences”. It criticized for the first time the political
regime of Stalin.
C) In June 1956 in the Polish city Poznan strikes began against the low salaries and the length
of the working day. The leader of the Polish united workers’ party Wladyslaw Gomulka
wanted to develop the Polish road to communism. He was forced to keep good relations
with the USSR. In December 1956 with a new treaty the USSR managed to keep its troops in
Poland.
D) The revolution in Hungary in 1956 surprised the Soviet party and state leadership. Several
weeks after the death of Stalin the pro-Soviet leader Matyas Rakosi was deposed. In
October 1956 student and civil demonstrations began which wanted a new government to
be set up led by Imre Nagi. The turmoil destabilized the situation in Budapest and the
leadership of the Hungarian Socialist Workers’ party turned to Moscow for military help.
Budapest was attacked by Soviet troops. Thousands of Hungarians were executed and
deported. The government of Janos Kadar began and lasted 32 years. In 1963 he declared
amnesty and established a liberal regime of government.
E) Romania was one of the satellite states which led a policy” different” from Moscow. In the
Council for economic mutual help Bucharest had revealed its discontent from the Soviet
economic pressure and concluded a sole agreement with Yugoslavia for the construction of
hydroelectrical central at the Danube. The Romanian leaders visited Paris, London and
Ankara. Nicolae Ceausescu wanted the dismissing of Warsaw treaty and the establishment
of diplomatic relations with Germany.
F) The events in Poland and Hungary did not trouble Prague. Czechoslovakia remained a
satellite of Moscow. The coming to power of Alexander Dubcek and general Ludvik Swoboda
changed the situation. In the published on 6 April 1968 Program for action, they troubled
the Soviet leaders. On 24 August1968 five states from Warsaw treaty made aggression in
Czechoslovakia. The USSR led the “doctrine Brezhnev”- each state had the right of its own
development but it could not deteriorate the state or the international communist
movement.
 G) After the events in 50s and 60s XXc. The East European states had a turmoil because of the
economic stagnation, corruption, lack of goods on the internal market. The perestroika of
Gorbachov led to a move to new processes.
2) “Gentle revolutions”
A) In 1980 in Poland the professional union” Solidarity” was created which started the change.
The political forces could not fulfil the reforms in Poland and a standstill began. On the
elections in 1991 the leader of “Solidarity” Lech Walesa became president of the state.
B) Similar events happened in Hungary. It made economic reforms in 80sXXc. The communist
leader Janos Kadar restored the rights of the political parties. It helped to overcome the
economic crisis. The Hungarian Socialist workers’ party denounced its leading role in the
Hungarian political life.
C) In 1989 Czechoslovakia began changes too. The “Gentle revolution” took the power from
the communist party. In 1990 the elections for president chose Vaclav Havel- opponent of
the communist party.
D) In GDR the communist leader Erich Honecker had to resign under pressure. The unification
of the country took place on 3 October 1990.
E) Similar events took place in Bulgaria and Romania which ended the totalitarian regimes in
Eastern Europe.