2. Military Intervention: However, when the demands for change became more widespread and threatened the communist regimes in Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union resorted to military intervention. The most notable examples of military intervention include:
- 1956 Hungarian Revolution: The Soviet Union sent tanks and troops to suppress the anti-communist uprising in Hungary.
- 1968 Prague Spring: Soviet-led Warsaw Pact forces invaded Czechoslovakia to crush a reform movement that sought greater democratization.
3. Brezhnev Doctrine: Following these interventions, the Soviet Union established what came to be known as the Brezhnev Doctrine. The doctrine asserted the right of the Soviet Union to intervene militarily to protect "socialism" and prevent any Eastern Bloc countries from leaving the communist sphere of influence.
4. Economic Pressure: In addition to military measures, the Soviet Union also employed economic pressure to control Eastern European countries. This included controlling trade relations and access to resources, thereby making them heavily dependent on the Soviet economy.
5. Political Suppression: The Soviet Union supported and ensured that loyalist communist parties maintained control in Eastern European countries. This involved suppressing dissent, limiting freedom of expression, and monitoring and controlling political activities.
6. Resistance and Solidarity: Despite Soviet efforts to suppress change, Eastern European countries continued to experience popular resistance movements and demands for greater political and social freedoms. Ultimately, these movements contributed to the eventual collapse of communist rule in Eastern Europe in the late 1980s and early 1990s.