Comecon, 1949

What was Comecon?

Comecon was the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance. It was the Soviet Union's alternative to the Marshall Plan.

When was Comecon created?

Comecon was created in January 1949.

Who was part of Comecon?

Comecon included the Soviet Union, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Albania and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany).

Why was Comecon created?

Comecon was a reaction to the Marshall Plan, introduced by the USA, and was created for 2 main reasons:

• ❖ Stalin wanted to reduce any possible economic influence the USA could have on eastern Europe's communist countries by creating his own version of the Marshall Plan.
• ❖ It was a method of controlling the satellite states in eastern Europe by tying them into close trading relationships with the USSR and each other.

What was the importance of Comecon?

Comecon, with the Marshall Plan, divided Europe into two economic spheres of influence; western European was capitalist and eastern European was communist.