Soviet power in Eastern Europe eventually collapsed.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2024). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] He was leader of Czechoslovakia.
2. [1] He became leader in 1968.
3. [1] He was a communist.
4. [1] He introduced 'Socialism with a human face'.
5. [1] He introduced reforms into Czechoslovakia.
6. [1] His reforms included freedom of speech and the reduction of police powers.
7. [1] His period of reforms was called the 'Prague Spring'.
8. [1] He did not want to pull out of the Warsaw Pact.
9. [1] He insisted his reforms were not a threat to communism.
10. [1] He was summoned to Moscow where he insisted on keeping his reforms.
11. [1] In 1968 he was removed from power.
12. [6] (Level 4) The violent Soviet response was because Nagy planned to take Hungary out of the Warsaw Pact. This was the part of Nagy's plans which particularly upset and scared Khrushchev. Soviet tanks began moving into Hungary a few days after this became known. The Warsaw Pact was a military organisation of Communist countries. It unified their armed forces under the leadership of the Soviet Union. It was really a way of keeping all the members in line. This was what worried Khrushchev; if Hungary was allowed to leave then others might follow and this would weaken the Soviet Union's defensive barrier against the West.
13. [5] (Level 3) The violent Soviet response was because Nagy planned to take Hungary out of the Warsaw Pact. This particularly upset Khrushchev, who feared other members might follow, weakening the Soviet Union's defensive barrier against the West. Soviet tanks moved into Hungary soon after.
14. [1] (Level 2) There was a great deal of resentment against the Soviet Union in Hungary.
15. [1] (Level 2) Nagy's reforms such as free elections and private ownership seemed to undermine communism.
16. [1] (Level 2) Nagy planned to leave the Warsaw Pact.
17. [1] (Level 2) There were hopes in Hungary that the UN or Eisenhower would help them.
18. [1] (Level 2) Hungarian soldiers were deserting.
19. [1] (Level 2) There were huge anti-Soviet demonstrations.
20. [1] (Level 1) Thousands of Soviet troops and tanks arrived in Hungary in 1956 and there was a great deal of fighting. Thousands of Hungarians and Russians were killed.
21. [10] (Level 5) Gorbachev was far more important. Although Walesa was the first non-communist leader in Eastern Europe, he only achieved this because of the situation Gorbachev had created. Gorbachev raised people's hopes of reform and let them know that the Soviet Union would not keep communist governments in power. This encouraged the whole movement in 1989. Walesa was finished in 1981 and was only able to come back because of Gorbachev.
22. [6] (Level 3) Walesa was an important figure in the decline of Soviet control over Europe. In 1980–81, he led strikes in Poland and became very popular. He highlighted the poor living standards and corruption under communism. The membership of his movement, Solidarity, reached 9 million. Although he was crushed in 1981 by the government, his importance was that he had shown communist governments could be challenged and could be in danger from people power.
23. [6] (Level 3) Gorbachev was responsible. He realised that the Soviet Union was in a terrible economic state and could not afford to carry on with its present policies. He told the leaders of the eastern bloc countries that in future the Soviet Union would not send in troops and tanks to back up their regimes. They would have to look after themselves. He also told them that the way to survive was to introduce reforms. They were not keen.
24. [1] (Level 2) Walesa campaigned for the rights of workers.
25. [1] (Level 2) Walesa put forward 21 Demands.
26. [1] (Level 2) Walesa gained support from the West.
27. [1] (Level 2) Walesa showed that people power could threaten communist governments.
28. [1] (Level 2) Walesa started Solidarity.
29. [1] (Level 2) Solidarity had 9 million members.
30. [1] (Level 2) Walesa became the first non-communist leader in Eastern Europe.
31. [1] (Level 2) Gorbachev encouraged reform in Eastern Europe.
32. [1] (Level 2) Gorbachev introduced Glasnost and Perestroika.
33. [1] (Level 2) Gorbachev said he would not back up communist governments in trouble.
34. [1] (Level 2) Gorbachev withdrew troops from Afghanistan.
35. [1] (Level 2) Gorbachev's reforms in the USSR made people in Eastern Europe expect and demand reform.
36. [1] (Level 1) They were both very important men in the fall of Soviet control but in very different ways. One was a Soviet leader and one was an opposition leader.