The West generally viewed Soviet policy in Eastern Europe as a means of expanding communist influence and control, particularly after World War II. The establishment of satellite states and the imposition of authoritarian regimes were seen as violations of self-determination and democratic ideals. This led to a policy of containment, where Western nations aimed to prevent the spread of communism through economic and military support to countries resisting Soviet control. Overall, the West perceived Soviet actions as aggressive and expansionist, contributing to the tensions of the Cold War.
(Iron Curtain)By 1946, less than a year after the end of World War II, it became clear that the Soviet Union planned to control the Poles, Hungarians, Romanians, and other people of Eastern Europe. Stalin forced communist government on these people. He also used his secret police to arrest anyone who opposed his rule.Many Eastern Europeans tried to escape Soviet control by fleeing to the West. But the Soviets stopped them by building a barbed wire fence which cut off Eastern Europe from the West. They also blocked trade between the eastern and western parts of Europe. Winston Churchill called the Soviet-controlled border between the East and West the "Iron Curtain."
The East German government with the support of the Soviet Union built the Berlin Wall to stop East German from defecting to the West.
The buffer zone of nations controlled by the Soviet Union in Eastern Europe was commonly referred to as the "Eastern Bloc." This group of countries included nations like Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria, which served to provide a strategic barrier against the West during the Cold War. The Eastern Bloc was characterized by communist governments and close alignment with Soviet policies.
Eastern Berlin was considered the Soviet sector. It was separated by West Berlin by the Berlin Wall from 1961 to 1989, and the East German government referred to East Berlin simply as "Berlin".
The absence of a natural barrier on the western border of the Soviet Union made it more vulnerable to potential invasions, influencing its post-World War II foreign policy to adopt a more aggressive and expansive stance in Eastern Europe. This led to the establishment of satellite states and the spread of communist influence as a means of creating a buffer zone against Western powers. The desire to secure its borders and assert dominance in the region ultimately contributed to the onset of the Cold War tensions between the Soviet Union and the West.
"Iron Curtain"
The Soviet Union wanted to spread communism to the whole world. The West had a capitalist system and tried to limit the spread of communism. This created the environment for hostility between the two factions.
(Iron Curtain)By 1946, less than a year after the end of World War II, it became clear that the Soviet Union planned to control the Poles, Hungarians, Romanians, and other people of Eastern Europe. Stalin forced communist government on these people. He also used his secret police to arrest anyone who opposed his rule.Many Eastern Europeans tried to escape Soviet control by fleeing to the West. But the Soviets stopped them by building a barbed wire fence which cut off Eastern Europe from the West. They also blocked trade between the eastern and western parts of Europe. Winston Churchill called the Soviet-controlled border between the East and West the "Iron Curtain."
The East German government with the support of the Soviet Union built the Berlin Wall to stop East German from defecting to the West.
The buffer zone of nations controlled by the Soviet Union in Eastern Europe was commonly referred to as the "Eastern Bloc." This group of countries included nations like Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria, which served to provide a strategic barrier against the West during the Cold War. The Eastern Bloc was characterized by communist governments and close alignment with Soviet policies.
Eastern Berlin was considered the Soviet sector. It was separated by West Berlin by the Berlin Wall from 1961 to 1989, and the East German government referred to East Berlin simply as "Berlin".
The Berlin Wall divided Berlin into East and West Berlin. East Berlin, also called the Eastern Bloc, belonged to Soviet Russia and was communist. West Berlin was democratic.
Eastern Europe was cut off from the West primarily during the Cold War by the Soviet Union, which established communist regimes in several countries following World War II. This division was symbolized by the Iron Curtain, a term popularized by Winston Churchill, representing the political, military, and ideological barrier between the Eastern Bloc and Western Europe. The restrictive policies of the Soviet government and the presence of military forces further isolated Eastern European nations from Western influence and democratic ideals.
The absence of a natural barrier on the western border of the Soviet Union made it more vulnerable to potential invasions, influencing its post-World War II foreign policy to adopt a more aggressive and expansive stance in Eastern Europe. This led to the establishment of satellite states and the spread of communist influence as a means of creating a buffer zone against Western powers. The desire to secure its borders and assert dominance in the region ultimately contributed to the onset of the Cold War tensions between the Soviet Union and the West.
Historically many of the countries of eastern Europe were communist and part of or under the influence of the Soviet Union.
The border countries of East and West are Finland (west) Germany (west) Poland (east) Czech Republic (east) Austria (west) Slovenia (east) Slovakia (east) Hungary (east) Norway (west) Italy (west) For the most part, Eastern Europe was under Soviet control and was communist, while Western Europe remained republics/monarchies.
In 1961, the Soviet Union gained control over East Germany, solidifying its influence in Eastern Europe during the Cold War. This was exemplified by the construction of the Berlin Wall in August 1961, which physically divided East and West Berlin and symbolized the broader ideological divide between the communist Eastern Bloc and the capitalist West. The wall became a significant emblem of the Cold War, representing the restrictions on freedom and movement imposed by Soviet-aligned governments.