Soviet interest in Eastern Europe served to strengthen the communist bloc.' Discuss this statement with reference to events from 1950 to 1980

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"Soviet interest in Eastern Europe served to strengthen the communist bloc." Discuss this statement with reference to events from 1950 to 1980.

The aftermath of war in 1953 in the Asian periphery, where ideological tensions heightened to vast proportions and were thick with the promise of an all-out military combat between the Great Powers, saw the perpetuation, and yet the degeneration, of the Cold War in Europe. This enduring but steadily declining enmity could be seen clearly in the period 1953 to 1979, a period of stability in superpower relations punctuated by only intermittent crises, specifically the uprisings that occurred within the loosening eastern bloc. However, even amidst the sudden peace, the Soviet Union constantly maintained a tight rein on its satellites, in hopes of consolidating the Soviet sphere. In most cases, such endeavours were inefficacious, resulting in insurrections that estranged Eastern Europe from the USSR. As such, Khrushchev's continual interference in the internal affairs of the countries of Eastern Europe strengthened the communist bloc to only a small, insignificant degree. To a larger degree frequent Soviet intervention caused the disintegration of the communist bloc.

Continued economic exploitation of the eastern bloc by Stalin stirred in Czechoslovakia and Eastern Germany resentment that culminated in revolts which created bad blood between the USSR and the two countries. Early in the 1950s, Soviet policy responsible for plummeting living conditions was denounced for its collectivisation attempts. In 1953, at Pilsen, Czechoslovakia, rioting broke out. In the same year, anti-Soviet demonstrations transpired in the streets of East Berlin with the aim of initiating a series of reforms, such as a reduction in working hours, an increase in food rations, economic and political freedom, reunification with West Germany, and the end of occupation of the Soviet military. These riots were suppressed by occupying Soviet troops; the rioters themselves were dispersed by Russian tanks. In a conciliatory attempt, Stalin made economic recessions to East Germany for fear of losing it as a buffer state. The situation, however, was compounded by American responses to hasten the 'liberation' of the eastern bloc, whose people were viewed as captives of the Soviet Union, from the clutches of Stalin. The demands of the East Germans were broadcast on American-funded Radio Free Europe. As manifested by anti-Soviet rioting in Czechoslovakia and Eastern Germany, the exploitative tendencies of Stalin had resulted in rampant suffering and hardship that had resulted in cracks in the grand pillars of the Soviet sphere.

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The Polish uprisings of 1956 had contributed further to the weakening of the eastern bloc. In that year Khrushchev had announced the release of 30, 000 political prisoners and had begun to practise de-Stalinisation in the Polish government and security system. This abrupt change in political atmosphere, however, liberated an ire--the causes of which were poor living standards and constant subjugation--that had long been suppressed by the Poles. On June 28, Russian headquarters were plagued by riots sparked off in the city of Poznan, and managed to suppress the rioters only with the later arrival of Polish armed forces. ...

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