Poland in the Eastern Bloc

Archive Report

Strains on Poland' Political System

Poland, a bastion of Soviet influence since World War II, is being swept by the same winds of dissent that have been felt across the rest of Eastern Europe. Unlike some of the other Soviet bloc nations, however, Poland's Communist leaders have failed to respond with any sense of urgency to the pressures for social, economic and political change. The result is a potentially explosive situation that threatens to keep the nation in a state of ferment in the months ahead.

Growing unrest in Poland is evidenced by such events as the Dec. 18 letter read from Roman Catholic pulpits throughout Poland. Congregations were told that the state was trying to “liquidate religious life” by forbidding construction of new churches. Poland's ...

locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles