21 22 23 24 25 TIME REMAINII 19:37:18 After World War II, the Soviet Union designated many of the countries of Eastern Europe as \( \square \) states. independent satellite democratic occupied

After World War II, the Soviet Union designated many of the countries of Eastern Europe as **satellite** states. **Correct Answer:** satellite **Explanation:** Satellite states were nations that were formally independent but were heavily influenced or controlled by the Soviet Union. These countries in Eastern Europe, such as East Germany, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, and Bulgaria, had governments that were aligned with Soviet policies and interests during the Cold War era. **Other Options:** - **Independent:** While these states were nominally independent, the term "satellite" more accurately describes their subservient relationship to the USSR. - **Democratic:** Most of these states were not genuinely democratic; their governments were typically single-party communist regimes. - **Occupied:** Although the Soviet Union did exert control over these countries, "satellite" is the more precise term used in this historical context.