Comecon and Cominform

             COMINFOM             The Communist Information Bureau was set up in 1947 to enable the Soviet Union to co-ordinate communist parties throughout Europe. It was the Soviet Union’s response to the Truman Doctrine. It was introduced to ensure that the states in Eastern Europe ·         Followed Soviet aims in foreign policy ·         Introduced Soviet style economic policies, such as collectivisation of agriculture and state control of industry. The Soviet Union used the organisation to purge any members who disagreed with Moscow. One notable example was Tito, whose refusal to follow Soviet line led to the expulsion of Yugoslavia from Cominform in 1948.

              Comecon                The Council for Mutual Assistance (Comecon), founded in 1949, was the Soviet response to Marshall Aid. It was supposed to be the means by which the Soviet Union could financially support countries in Eastern Europe. In reality, it was use by the Soviet Union to: ·         Control the economies of these states ·         Give the Soviet Union access to their resources ·         Encourage economic specialisation within the Soviet Bloc. EG. Czechoslovakia and E.Germany encouraged to focus on heavy industry.

New Page