How did the Soviet Union maintain control over Eastern Europe for 45 years?

Question: How did the Soviet Union maintain control over Eastern Europe for 45 years!?

Why did they do it anyway!? And how were they gotten rid of!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

By maintaining a superior military and not permitting access to the outside world!. Lenin and Stalin hoped to keep their people isolated to concentrate on preserving their communist economic state!. However, the desire by the russian people for more freedom and access to the west eventually crumbled their walls!.
I think The Beatles helped a lot too!. Most Russians, including Gorbachev and Putin admit listening to their records!. Most english speaking Russians say they learned English listening to Beatle records!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

It probably had something to do with Stalin's habit of killing anyone who said a word against him!.Www@QuestionHome@Com