In Czechoslovakia, the coalition government laster longer than in other Eastern bloc countries. The government had tried to follow an independent line, keeping good relations with the East and the West. Benes and Masaryk had hoped that Czechoslovakia might become a link between the East and the West, and hoped to participate in the Marshall Plan. However, all hopes vanished when the Communists staged a coup in February 1948. The Communist Party had been popular in Czechoslovakia before the war and Stalin had no reason to fear a hostile outcome from the elections. However, in 1947, support for the Communists declined. New elections were due in May 1948, but the Communists reorganised the government, purged Anti-Soviet leaders and seized power. In the elections only Communists were allowed to stand. A new constitution was introduced, putting the country firmly under Soviet control.
The next challenge to the authority of the Soviet Union emerged in the German Democrat Republic. In 1952 the ruling Socialist Unity Party, led by Ulbricht, launched an intensified program of nationalization of industry and collectivisation of agriculture. The immediate effect of this was a growing discontent of people, and many began to seek refuge in West Germany. The ruling of certain quotas to be produced and the poor living conditions (food rationed, no electricity at home) generated the anger of the population, workers took the streets and by the 17th of June there were major demonstrations and strikes in East Germany. This challenge to centralized Socialism could not be tolerated and the Red Army ruthlessly suppressed the revolt.
Under Stalin the sovietisation of Eastern Europe extended beyond politics into control of social and economic life as well. Churches were closed, media was strictly controlled under rigid censorship laws. A state-led industrialization was imposed, Five-year Plans based on the Soviet model and the collectivisation of agriculture were introduced. Life was tightly controlled by a secret police, and in the USSR, a new series of purges began between 1949 and 1953.
When Stalin died on 5 March 1953, the sovietisation of the Eastern bloc was complete. Stalin died without naming an heir, and none of his associates had the power to make an immediate claim to supreme leadership. At first the deceased dictator's colleagues tried to rule jointly, with Malenkov holding the top position of prime minister. After a poor showing by light industry and agriculture, Malenkov resigned as prime minister in February 1955. Because the new prime minister, Nikolay Bulganin, had little influence, the departure of Malenkov made Khrushchev the most important figure within the collective leadership. Cominform and Comecon had already formalised ties between the USSR and Eastern Europe. Following West Germany's entry into NATO, the Soviets felt encircled by the West, and decided to consolidate their military hold on their satellite states. In May 1955, the Warsaw Pact was signed; it set up a unified military command and created an Eastern bloc army.
The end of the Stalin era brought immediate liberalization in several aspects of Soviet life. Party leader Nikita Khrushchev denounced Stalin's tyrannical reign and use of repression in February 1956, signaling a sharp break with the past. There was a relaxation of the terror, both in Russia and in its Eastern European satellites. This was known as de-Stalinization. The rulers of these regimes wanted to end a situation where even they lived in fear of arrest and torture.They also wanted a more modern economic system that could compete with Western capitalism. The brutal slave labour camps, in which millions were held, no longer fitted with the needs of the state capitalist rulers.
Poland was the first country to demand reform. In June 1956 high food prices and low wages led to riots and strikes. Khrushchev sent troops to restore order. He flew to Warsaw and began negotiations with the Polish Communists. Their leader, Gomulka, reassured him that Poland would continue to support Soviet foreign policy and remain committed to the Warsaw Pact alliance. Khrushchev accepted Gomulka's leadership in Poland and agreed to allow the Polish Communist Government some control over internal affairs.
In October 1956, riots occurred in Hungary, influenced by events in Poland. Students and workers took the streets demanding reforms. Nagy, the popular Communist lead, was brought to power. In November he announced that free elections would be held and that Hungary would leave the Warsaw Pact. Alarmed by this, Khrushchev decided to send the Red Army to deal with the revolt. On 4 November the invasion began and thousands of Soviet tanks rolled into Hungary; the uprising was crushed.
In January 1957, representatives of the Soviet Union, Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania met in Budapest to review internal developments in Hungary since the establishment of the Sovietimposed government. The communiqué justifies the Russian intervention in Hungary. The communiqué mentions 'the great banner of Marxism-Leninism'. However, Lenin wanted 'complete equality of rights for all nations' and 'the right of nations to self-determination' while in Das Kapital Marx says 'How disastrous it is for a nation when it has subjugated another nation'. However, the Soviets were not willing to allow any changes in their satellite states and would crush any threat to their control.
In conclusion, I believe that Imre Nagy's assertion, 'the imperialism of Moscow does not know borders', is perfectly legitimate. The original authors of communism publicly opposed imperialism but the Soviet Union certainly practiced it. The Soviet doctrine was to spread Marxism-Leninism, however this task didn't imply the creation of a sphere of influence, as Stalin did and which was later re-enforced by Khrushchev. Imperialism means expansionist desires, where the target country becomes a possession of the Empire, and it's what happened with the Soviet attempt to control Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania.
