Which countries did Russia use military force with to keep them from suscession?

Question

Ok, I just read that the USSR aloowed it's members to sucede from the group peacefully, but didn't Russia mobilize a lot of armor to keep some of the more adventurous states under the communist thumb? And if this is true, when did Russia move the tanks in? Was it immeadiately after WW II or later on?

Answer 1

It began during WWII, with the Warsaw uprising, eventually suppressed by the lowest thugs in Germany. Stalin, then approaching the Vistula, encouraged the uprising; when it occurred, he left his huge armies sitting idle on the eastern bank until it was killed. British (including Polish) and US air forces, wishing to help the Polish rebels by cutting German communications, were refused permission to land and refuel on Soviet-held territory. There you have in effect a Soviet use of Nazi troops to destroy Polish sovranty.

Once the Iron Curtain had been established, notable uprisings include those in East Berlin (1953), Hungary (1956) and Prague (1968), all suppressed by Soviet military power.

Once Gorbachev and Yeltsin were in power, you have an entirely different situation.

Answer 2

After 1989 most countries were allowed to secede peacefully, like East Germany and Lithuania, but others were not, I don't think, like Chechnya.

Back in the 50s and 60s no one was allowed to leave the control of the Soviet Union that I know of. The two who tried that I can remember reading about were Hungary and Czechoslovakia, but the USSR sent in tanks and troops and that was the end of that.

However, in Poland in the 80s Lech Wallenska (sp? not sure how to spell his last name, apologies) was successful in starting a labor union movement that brought more freedom to that country, although I don't think Poland became autonomous until after 1989.

Answer 3

Hungary in 1956. There was one other, I think, also in the 50s. When the USSR finally disintegrated that was peaceful at least on Russia's part, but that was in the 90s.