Ep 14. Behind the Iron Curtain, 1945-1953

Behind the Iron Curtain, 1945-1953 is the fourteenth episode of the first season of A History of Eastern Europe. This episode delves into the early years of the Soviet Union's rule over Eastern Europe after World War II. The Iron Curtain was a term used to describe the boundary separating the Western powers and the Soviet Union after the Second World War. This episode explores how the Iron Curtain came to be, the impact it had on the daily lives of Eastern Europeans, and the consequences of this separation.

The episode begins by looking at the role of the Soviet Union in the defeat of Nazi Germany. It then explores the Yalta Conference, which was held between the leaders of the United States, United Kingdom, and Soviet Union in February 1945, where they discussed post-war restructuring of Europe. The Soviet Union, under its leader Joseph Stalin, sought to create a buffer zone of satellite states in Eastern Europe, which would serve as a buffer against possible Western aggression.

The episode then goes on to explore the Soviet takeover of Eastern Europe, as the Red Army remained stationed in these countries after the defeat of Germany. The Soviet Union began a process of ideological reorientation, where they sought to establish communist governments in the countries they occupied. Countries such as Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania were coerced into adopting this new ideology, which marked the beginning of the Cold War.

The episode then explores the impact of this ideological reorientation on the daily lives of Eastern Europeans. It looks at the establishment of secret police forces across these countries, which were tasked with suppressing opposition to the communist governments. It also looks at the implementation of collectivization in agriculture, which saw the forced pooling of private land and animals into state-run farms. The impact of these policies was profound and marked the beginning of a period of poverty and repression that would last for decades.

The episode also explores the economic policies adopted by the Soviet Union in Eastern Europe. It looks at the adoption of the Five-Year Plans, which were designed to modernize the economies of these countries. However, these plans often led to the prioritization of heavy industry over the production of consumer goods, which meant shortages of food and other basic necessities for the people of Eastern Europe.

Finally, the episode looks at the consequences of the Soviet takeover of Eastern Europe. It explores the Warsaw Pact, a military alliance of communist states established by the Soviet Union to counter NATO in Western Europe. It also looks at the ways in which the Iron Curtain served as a symbol of the political, economic, and social divide between East and West.

Overall, Behind the Iron Curtain, 1945-1953 is an informative and eye-opening episode of A History of Eastern Europe. It sheds light on a period of Eastern European history that is often overlooked, and provides valuable insight into the impact of Soviet rule on these countries.