To what extent did the Soviet Union dominate central and eastern Europe between 1945 and 1955?

The question requires that candidates consider the merits or otherwise of the suggestion that the Soviet Union dominated central and eastern Europe between 1945 and 1955. Candidates may refer to examples of the Soviet Union’s aim for complete state control of economic life, through COMECON and Stalin’s agricultural ambitions in the Five Year Plans. Following the war, the Soviet Union removed many resources from central and eastern European countries. Control was also sought militarily, for example through the Warsaw Pact and repression of any opposition. The Soviet Union trained Communists, dominated satellite governments, and established Comintern, all of which may be considered examples of political domination. There may be reference to the presence of Soviet troops in “encouraging” the establishment of friendly governments. Candidates could argue that Soviet domination was limited, for example Czechoslovakia until 1948 and Yugoslavia.

The question required candidates to consider the merits or otherwise of the suggestion that the Soviet Union dominated central and eastern Europe between 1945 and 1955. Some good in-depth knowledge was displayed in answer to this question. However, some candidates tended to answer with reference to events after 1955: Hungarian uprising in 1956, the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961 and the Prague Spring of 1968.