Eastern Bloc



The Eastern Bloc — also known as the Communist Bloc, Soviet Bloc, and the Iron Curtain— were the Soviet-aligned nations during the Cold War. It is often confused with eastern Europe (geographical term), where the USSR was located, hence the vague and incorrect term Eastern Europe came to usage. The Eastern Bloc consisted of countries of eastern Europe and allied countries of central Europe, the Balkans, as well as the Baltic states in the crossroads of central and northern Europe that were once under the domination of the Soviet Union, and other nations mostly in Asia and Africa. All of these nations were governed by communist totalitarian dictatorships.

History
The Soviets had little trouble establishing dominance over the European Eastern Bloc nations, having invaded them at the end of World War II in pursuit of the retreating armies of Nazi Germany, then stuck around for decades after the war ended. It became closely affiliated with Communist governments that popped up in revolutions around the world, heavily influencing them and providing them support.

European countries

 * Bulgaria
 * Czechoslovakia
 * East Germany
 * Hungary
 * Poland
 * Romania

Asian countries

 * Afghanistan
 * Cambodia
 * Laos
 * Mongolia
 * North Korea
 * South Yemen
 * Vietnam

African countries

 * Angola
 * Benin
 * People’s Republic of the Congo (Now the Republic of the Congo)
 * Ethiopia
 * Mozambique
 * Somalia

North American countries

 * Cuba
 * Grenada, shortly had a Communist government come to power in a coup, but it was quickly suppressed by the United States and the original government.

Countries that became autonomous
Three other nations were originally aligned with the Bloc, but later established their autonomy:
 * China (autonomous after 1961)
 * Albania (autonomous after 1960)
 * Yugoslavia (autonomous after 1948)