In factories very high production targets were set and workers where being made to work hard and expected to match the standards of star workers. If Hungarian people failed to meet the expectations and targets they would be seen as “ Enemy of the State” and be imprisoned. This was because people where told to work very fast (due to high production targets) the good where of poor quality.
Russians had feared that if these countries had tried to break free would form a hole in the Iron Curtain. Russia reacted to the three countries demands, Poland was granted some reforms the country was given their former leader Gomulka, but just incase the Red Army was on stand-by.
When the Hungarians tried to break away from the Russians had reacted to the situation by sending it 6,000 tanks and the Red Army, which had crushed the rebellion. But Russia wouldn’t let Hungary go, if Hungary had broken away the Russians buffer zone would have been destroyed against the west. Also other European communist countries wanted to break free and then the Iron Curtain would fall.
In 1968 Czechoslovakia was invaded by Russia. America was shocked but then no western leader wanted to interfere due to the fact that relations where improving with Russia. So Czechoslovakia didn’t receive any help from America or the west, the west had only sent their sympathy but no help.
This was a disappointing sign for Hungary and Poland because they had expected help from the west because of the promises in the Truman Doctrine. When they had asked for help no help was given, and again there where many reasons to explain this.
In 1955 the leaders of Britain, china, America, France and Russia came together at a summit meeting. Fortunately America and Russia had the chance to improve relations after the cold war. The reason why the west didn’t offer any help or interfere when Hungary tried breaking free again in the following year was because the west didn’t want to risk ruining the better relations.
Britain and France the western countries had depended on the Middle East for oil. The canal ran through Egypt and the oil was transported through the Suez Canal on its way to Europe. The Russians and Americans tried to gain influence of the Middle East and this had caused a crisis at the canal in 1956. Fortunately America had a choice of whether they would offer there support to their allies which where Britain and France or would they help Hungary and Poland which would risk upsetting Russia.
The whole point of the summit meeting was to make better relations not worse so it would be a waste of time if relations had got worse. So America had decided to help their allies in Egypt. When in 1968 Russia had invaded Czechoslovakia, America was obviously shocked but still did not offer any support. The reason for America not wanting to offer their support was because just incase of upsetting the nuclear army talks, which had been held since 1963.
Unfortunately the Suez crisis had got worse, and America didn’t want to be in two places at the same time. The daily telegraph in 1989 had asked the following question
“ 1989 has there ever been a year like it?”
The Domino Theory was reversed the communist countries where breaking free from Russia, for example like Poland, Romania and Hungary. The question, which was asked, was how come the eastern European countries were successful in 1989 and had failed in 1956.
For this question to be answered there where many reasons and one of them was Eastern European countries were able to break free from Russia and the communist control, for example political, economical reasons and the role of Gorbachev.
The political reasons had been that Gorbachev had become the leader of the Soviet Union, he had allowed public criticism, this had been allowed 70 years after repression. He has also allowed Glasnost (openness), this was the people could say what they felt about Russia as a communist country. Although this had caused opposition they demanded pay rise, marches, protests tolerated.
The economic reasons where that communist party failed to improve their living standards. Stalin brought most firms under state ownership and the Government set prices. Stalin had confiscated the land from the rich landowners and had given it to the peasants. This was a bad idea and highly unsuccessful as peasants didn’t have any knowledge about how to invest in businesses.
The industries were concentrated in Russia, which had been resulted in raw materials, which had to be transported thousands of kilometres, this was to be found as a waste of time and energy. Trade in new technology the west had also banned, there where shortages of machinery so agriculture had suffered.
Prices at the black market where inflated due to the fact of the living standards and wages were low and the prices of food had risen.
But the question, which arises, is was economic problems the main reason why communism collapsed in Russia?
No economic problems weren’t the main reason, because they had tolerated economic problems for about 50 years. Although this one of the reasons for the major change but needed Gorbachev to make political changes and these are as I have stated before, glasnost and opposition.
But not forgetting also restructing-had to change economy make it like America and Japan. But unfortunately it was really hard and difficult to manage because they where communist before. Also western style economy-the people started to build their own businesses, women and men had their own like America. This was to make profits.
Difficulties they where facing where shortage of money mafia and handling a major change. More crime had emerged shortage of money came in. Mafia had to control this allowing less of this to happen in his country. They found it hard to handle a change but if they had paid attention and dealt with it properly it was ok.
Modern World Study 1 Conclusion.
The countries, which had tried to break away from communism control in 1956 and 1968, were, Hungary, Poland, and Czechoslovakia. People in these countries disliked the Russians because Russia because Russia was a communist country. And ruled in 1956 and 1968.
The Russians had sent in the red army to overcome the matter of facing economic problems, working hard and earning less. They literally hated the communist rules. The countries expected help from the west because of the Trueman Doctrine and Marshall Plan offered to help these countries who goes against the U.S.S.R
The west did have their own reasons behind this promise, which was broken because the current leader, Joseph Stalin had died and the new replacement leader Gorbachev wanted to change the country so he did side with the west so they didn’t wasn’t to anger him in any way or act out of order before he signed the plan.
In 1989 the countries in eastern European had achieved their independence, Russia didn’t care to react, as it was far and busy with their own land. The main reason for the collapse of communism in Russia was the changes being brought about within Russia by President Gorbachev as he attempted to handle the countries economical problems.
The reason why recent attempts were most successful is that Russia didn’t do anything to stop them.