The USSR faced challenges to its control over Eastern Europe.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2021). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] Rakosi was removed as Prime Minister.
2. [1] Gero replaced Rakosi.
3. [1] There were student demonstrations/revolts.
4. [1] A statue of Stalin was pulled down by protestors.
5. [1] On 24 October, Soviet tanks entered Budapest.
6. [1] Nagy was named as prime minister.
7. [1] Freedom fighters and most of the Hungarian army fought the Soviets.
8. [1] On 27 October, Nagy announced a new government.
9. [1] Nagy's new government included members of non-Communist parties.
10. [1] In the last few days of October Soviet forces were withdrawn from Budapest.
11. [1] Nagy announced that one party rule would be ended.
12. [1] Nagy announced that Hungary was going to leave the Warsaw Pact.
13. [1] On 4 November, the Red Army invaded Budapest.
14. [1] There were large numbers of casualties.
15. [1] Thousands fled the country.
16. [1] Nagy resigned as Prime Minister.
17. [1] Janos Kadar became Prime Minister.
18. [1] Dubcek introduced political changes/the Prague Spring.
19. [1] Citizens were given the right to criticise the government.
20. [1] Dubcek's reforms threatened to undermine Soviet control.
21. [1] The Soviet Union was suspicious of the suggested changes.
22. [1] The Soviet leadership claimed that West Germany was threatening to invade Czechoslovakia.
23. [1] Czechoslovakia was the most important central European state.
24. [1] Soviet leaders were worried that the Czech ideas would spread.
25. [1] Soviet leaders did not like intellectuals attacking their leadership.
26. [1] The Soviet leaders feared a rival socialist party.
27. [1] Dubcek refused to allow Soviet troops into the country.
28. [1] The Czech people were unhappy with Soviet control.
29. [4-5] The USSR invaded Czechoslovakia in 1968 because it felt that Dubcek's reforms undermined their control over the country. He introduced freedoms such as abolishing censorship and gave people the right to criticise the government. Workers were given more rights in controlling how industry was run and the trade unions were given more power. The USSR saw this as a threat to their control as they were concerned these ideas would spread to other parts of the Soviet bloc. Therefore, they invaded to bring down Dubcek's government.
30. [1] Gorbachev realised reforms were needed.
31. [1] The policies of perestroika and glasnost caused the decline of Soviet influence.
32. [1] Gorbachev was more interested in domestic policy and saving the Soviet Union.
33. [1] Gorbachev was less interested in Eastern Europe than previous Soviet leaders.
34. [1] The Soviet Union had financial problems and could not support Eastern European communist states.
35. [1] The withdrawal of the Red Army support was to blame.
36. [1] The Soviet Union was already on the point of collapse when Gorbachev came to power.
37. [1] Solidarity showed that a Communist government could be resisted.
38. [1] Solidarity inspired peaceful anti-communist revolutions in Eastern European countries.
39. [1] Solidarity highlighted the failure of communism to provide good living standards for all people.
40. [1] Many factors were to blame for the collapse of Soviet power over Eastern Europe.
41. [7-9] Gorbachev was responsible for the decline of Soviet influence. He made it clear he would not oppose attempts at democracy in Warsaw Pact countries, and he would not send Red Army troops into these countries to support Communist regimes nor force countries to stay tied to the Soviet Union. This made it easier for Eastern European countries to decide on their own future, with many deciding to break away from Soviet influence.
42. [7-9] Solidarity was certainly responsible for the decline of Soviet influence. The movement showed that if people united, they could resist a Communist government. In the 1989 elections in Poland, anti-communist candidates won a striking victory. This inspired people in other Eastern European countries, and there were peaceful anti-communist revolutions in Hungary, East Germany and Czechoslovakia. Soviet influence was declining.