Why Did the USSR Create Satellite States? Cold War ‘Closest to the Truth’ Revision Task

A clear, low-prep GCSE revision resource exploring why the Soviet Union created satellite states in Eastern Europe after 1945.

Students evaluate a series of short explanations and decide which are closest to the historical truth, helping them move beyond oversimplified Cold War narratives. The task supports causal reasoning, judgement and exam-style evaluation without heavy writing.

The resource includes:

A “closest to the truth” selection task focused on Soviet motives

Carefully written explanations pitched for accessibility and clarity

A second page of ready-to-use follow-up tasks developing interpretation, causation and perspective

A full teacher answer key with guidance

Ideal for:

GCSE History (Cold War / Superpower Relations / Early Cold War)

KS3 Cold War overviews

Revision lessons, cover work or low-effort retrieval activities

Designed to work as a standalone revision sheet or alongside lessons on the creation of satellite states, the Iron Curtain, or the breakdown of the Grand Alliance.