<P> Another early Soviet satellite state in Asia was the short - lived Far East Republic in Siberia . </P> <P> At the end of World War II, most eastern and central European countries were occupied by the Soviet Union, and along with the USSR made up what is sometimes called the Soviet Empire . The Soviets remained in these countries after the war's end . Through a series of coalition governments including Communist parties, and then a forced liquidation of coalition members unliked by the Soviets, Stalinist systems were established in each country . Stalinists gained control of existing governments, police, press and radio outlets in these countries . Soviet satellite states in Europe included: </P> <Ul> <Li> The People's Socialist Republic of Albania (Satellite 1944--1960; government extant until 1992) </Li> <Li> The Polish People's Republic (1944--1989) </Li> <Li> The People's Republic of Bulgaria (1946--1990) </Li> <Li> The People's Republic of Romania (1947--1965) </Li> <Li> The Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (1948--1960 and again 1968--1989) </Li> <Li> The German Democratic Republic (1949--1990) </Li> <Li> The Hungarian People's Republic (1949--1989) </Li> </Ul> <Li> The People's Socialist Republic of Albania (Satellite 1944--1960; government extant until 1992) </Li>

What countries were satellites of the soviet union