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Communist take over Poland
Towards the end of WWII the U.S.S.R went into Poland and pushed out the Nazis. Stalln wanted to tannex Poland in the Yalta conferance making Poland a communist state. Communist Poland was approved and Poland was then know as the Republic of Poland. Gumika was the tempoary priminister from 1945-48. -
European thaw
After Stalin's death communism began to decline across europe. In Poland a more liberal faction of the communist party took over. -
Poland enter Warsaw pact
Poland joins the Warsaw Pact military alliance with USSR, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Est Germany, Hungary, Romania, Albania. -
Gomulka
Gomulka and his party retake control of the Polish communist government. -
Poznan riots
About 100,000 idustrial working class people gathered. They wanted greater freedom from the communist government. Around 10,000 troops and 400 tanks were sent to put down the riot. They fired into the crow killing 57-100 people and wounding 100s more. -
Food riots
High food prices due to inflation caused riots in Gdansk. Hundreds were killed suppresing the riots. After Edward Gierek becomes the party leader in Poland -
Poland economy in the 70's
Poland was mildly prosperous throughout the 1970's. They had loans from other countries to fund themself. -
Polish Pope
Karol Wojtyla is elected pope. Changed his name to pope John Paul II. First non Italian pope since 1523. Considered to be on e of the most influenceal people of the 20th century. Caused a wave of nationalism -
Solidarity
The first non communist trade party that had any success. Around 10 million supporters made up of industrial working class. They used civil resistance methods to advance workers rights. Lead by Lech Walsea who started the party after losing his job at the shipyards. -
Martial law enacted
Martial law is imposed to try to stop the solidarity movement. They imprisoned many of the leaders, Walesa included. -
Martial law lifted
Even though the government imprisoned hundreds of solidarlty members. They were not able to snuff out the group entirly. In the end the government and solidarity had bargains to settle the dispute. -
solidarity/communist government
After the bargaining between solidarity, government, and the catholic church. They held a semi free election that set up a coaliltion goverment between solidarity and the communist. -
communism falls
Communism fell to the soliditary party. The first communist country to fall in eastern europe. Was a nonviolent transfer of power -
Walesa elected to office
Lech Walesa was voted into office making him the first president of Poland. He made market reforms freeing up the markets to the private sector. He was only elected for five years -
Soviet evacuation of Poland
Soviet troops leave Poland. By this time Walesa had set up a government for Poland. This pushed the soviet out of Poland -
Poland in the N.A.T.O
Poland joins the N.A.T.O
