Soviet treatment of dissent in eastern Europe 1953-1981

Hungary 1956
1. Protests against repression turned into full-scale revolution
2. Soviet tanks and soldiers crush the revolution
3. Thousands were killed, and many Hungarians fled the country
Poland 1980
1. Solidarity (a trade union), which called for greater pay and freedom, turned into a national movement
2. Soviet tanks and troops seize the border, making it clear they would intervene if necessary
3. Polish army seized power, imposed martial law and imprisoned all Solidarity's leaders
Czechoslovakia 1968
1. The Prague Spring - Czech leaders introduced reforms to end censorship and increase freedom
2. Czech leaders wanted other political parties to exist
3. USSR sent in tanks and troops to remove the leaders and crush the government
East Germany 1953
1. People have poor living standards, availability of consumer goods and a lack freedom
2. Mass protests in towns and cities in East Germany
3. Main protest in Berlin is crushed by East German police and Soviet troops
Poland 1953
1. Mass protests for freedom and economic improvements
2. The premier, Gomulka, promised reforms
3. Khrushchev threatened Soviet military intervention
4. Responding to Khrushchev, Gomulka abandons reforms and clamped down on dissent

Resource summary

	Created by Andrew Burke almost 7 years ago