POL207Y1 Lecture : European Visions and First Steps of Cooperation
Document Summary
In 1948, the tensions between the east and west and between the 4 powers reached a new peak when the soviets created people"s democracies in central europe. Hungary and czechoslovakia all joined the soviet camp. Czechoslovakia would join their side but this caused them to realize that stalin would not stop. The communist coup in march 1948 in czechoslovakia eliminated the liberal opposition in the parliament. The new cabinet contained only streamlined moscow favoured politicians. The yugoslav communists refused to join the moscow bloc under the leadership of josip broz. He was the only communist leader to successfully oppose the soviets. Tito was deflamed as a capitalist by the unsuccessful soviets. Stalin reintroduced the central soviet steering bureau, cominform. This was sign for all communists that moscow was the leading force and there would be no place for nationalists in these countries. Stalin was eager to increase his control over east germany.