The Soviet Union wanted to create a buffer zone to the west of Russia. This "Iron Curtain", as it came to be known, would take the hit before Russia did. It may or may not have been Stalin's intention to use this to spread communism, but it was certainly for the motherland's protection.
The Soviets wanted to control Eastern Europe so that they would be one step closer to control of the world and would be less likely to crumble in case of a war.
(I am a student studying History, this may not be a 100% true answer, it is just my assumption from the knowledge that I have.)
Because they wanted to make other countries communist as they thought it was the best system. Also they wanted more land.
They felt they deserved it and had earned it in the second World War.
After WWII, there were two spheres on influence, the Soviets and the Americans. If the Soviets controlled Germany, the whole of Europe would have been within their grasp.
The Soviets didn't "want to control the Warsaw Pact" - They created it, and ran it ruthlessly to keep other countries directly under their control.
The Soviet Union wanted control of eastern Europe. The United States wanted independent nations in eastern Europe
eastern Europe
A weak socialist economic, strict daily life control, and nationalist contributed to friction b/w Soviet Union & Eastern Europe
Established control over Eastern Europe.
The Soviet leaders probably viewed the Marshall Plan and NATO as direct threats to Soviet security. Soviet leaders felt the United States was using its wealth to buy influence and power in Europe. They feared that strong, rebuilt Western European nations would be a threat to its satellite nations in Eastern Europe.
The Soviet Union wanted control of eastern Europe. The United States wanted independent nations in eastern Europe
eastern Europe
eastern Europe
The Soviet Union wanted control of eastern Europe. The United States wanted independent nations in eastern Europe
The Soviet Union wanted control of Eastern Europe. The United States wanted independent nations in Eastern Europe.
The Soviet Union wanted control of eastern Europe. The United States wanted independent nations in eastern Europe
The Soviet Union wanted control of eastern Europe. The United States wanted independent nations in eastern Europe
A weak socialist economic, strict daily life control, and nationalist contributed to friction b/w Soviet Union & Eastern Europe
Established control over Eastern Europe.
The Soviet leaders probably viewed the Marshall Plan and NATO as direct threats to Soviet security. Soviet leaders felt the United States was using its wealth to buy influence and power in Europe. They feared that strong, rebuilt Western European nations would be a threat to its satellite nations in Eastern Europe.
In fact, the U.S. did not insist on maitining control of Eastern Europe after World War II. Far from it, the U.S. relinquished any control and the Soviet Union assumed it, as the Soviet military occupied most of the land in the course of fighting the German army.
from 1945 to 1991, so four and a half.