Why are nations Such as East Germany called satellite states

Question

Im having issues figuring out the answer for this question and I’m needing some help.

Answer 1

Hi Allison,

We can think of satellite states as countries which are formally independent, or recognized by other countries as independent in name, but which are heavily influenced and even controlled by another country in practice.

In this example, East Germany--also no longer a country since 1990, when it joined a reunified Germany--was a satellite state of the Soviet Union during the Cold War. East Germany was officially independent and not an actual part of the Soviet Union; on the other hand, Russia, the Baltic States, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan all were part of the Soviet Union while it existed. However, East Germany, which always had Soviet troops stationed on its territory, had a Soviet-supported communist government that was under constant pressure to follow Soviet ideology and foreign policy. For example, freedom of press was limited, and the economy was heavily government-run in accordance with Soviet influence there.

If this helps at all to understand, you can think of satellites in outer space when thinking about satellite states. Just like the Moon is a smaller satellite that revolves around the Earth, countries like East Germany and Czechoslovakia were smaller nations heavily influenced by, and dependent on the Soviet Union, even if they were independent in name. Hope this might help!