(16) Pressures on the USSR

Question 1

When did Brezhnev replace Khrushchev?

Answer 1

In October 1964, Brezhnev replaced Khrushchev as First Secretary of the Communist Party.

Question 2

What was Breznev’s Views regarding countries from the Eastern European bloc in regards to communism?

Answer 2

> Modifications in the nature of communism were allowed, as long as countries remained loyal to the Soviet Union

> However, force would be used if necessary to keep the countries in the Soviet orbit.

Question 3

What had been the context behind the Prague Spring?

Answer 3

> In 1963, negative economic growth was recorded in Czechoslovakia. This economic downturn led the Czechoslovak government to reconsider its relationship to socialism and the Communist Party

Signals of revolt began in the middle of the 1960s when Professor Ota Sik proposed reforms:

• Allowing individual enterprises to function
• A communist party that would be responsive to public opinion.

> These changes were gaining rapid support with intellectuals and students and then the wider public.

> The Communist party did not allow these changes to happen, and so attempted to initiate changes in Czechoslovakian leadership to maintain the communist government.

Question 4

When did the Prague Spring happen?

Answer 4

1968

Question 5

Who was Alexander Dubcek and why was he important?

Answer 5

Alexander Dubcek replaced former party leader, Novotny. Soviets thought he would appeal to the minority and avoid protest, but he was a charismatic advocate of political reform

According to hardline communists across Eastern Europe, he exposed Eastern Europe to the possibility of ‘democratic infection

Question 6

What happened in the Prague Spring, and how did tensions arise as a result?

Answer 6

The Prague Spring of 1968 was a period of political and cultural liberalization in Czechoslovakia led by Alexander Dubček, marked by the introduction of the Action Program.

This reformist agenda aimed at creating “socialism with a human face” through allowing basic freedoms of speech, press and movement and freedoms for economic enterprises to make decisions based on consumer demand rather than government targets.

Question 7

When did the Soviets invade Czechoslovakia?

Answer 7

August 1968

Question 8

What happened in April 1968?

Answer 8

Dubcek’s Action Programme was announced.

Question 9

What was the Action Programme and why was it significant?

Answer 9

The Action Program garnered significant popular support but alarmed the Soviet Union, leading to the invasion of Czechoslovakia in August 1968, the arrest of Dubček, and the rollback of reforms.

The program’s vision for a more open and democratic socialism was quashed, underscoring the limitations of reform within the Soviet-dominated Eastern Bloc and contributing to a lasting sense of disillusionment in the region.

Question 10

What happened during the Soviet invasion?

Answer 10

On 20 August 1968, 500,000 Warsaw Pact troops invaded Czechoslovakia.
Dubcek and three other leaders were arrested and sent to Moscow.
The Czechoslovakians did not fight the Russians. Instead, they stood in front of the tanks and put flowers in the soldiers’ hair.

Question 11

What happened afterwards in a meeting?

Answer 11

On 14-15th July 1968, Warsaw Pact countries conducted a meeting regarding Czechoslovakian reforms. While it was argued that Czechoslovakia had its own right to internal self-determination, challenges to socialism in one country were a threat to the whole entire socialist movement and thus could not be tolerated as it would lead to a split in Soviet unity.

Question 12

When was the Breznev Doctrine introduced?

Answer 12

1968

Question 13

What had been stated?

Answer 13

In a speech to Polish workers in 1968, Brezhnev made it clear that the USSR would not allow the countries of Eastern Europe to reject communism ‘even if it meant a third World War’.

He stated that all communist countries had the responsibility to protect the communist movement and to interfere when it was threatened.

He also defined what deviation from communism would lead to.

This became known as the Brezhnev Doctrine.

The invasion of Czechoslovakia proved the doctrine was a reality.

Question 14

Why was Soviet involvement in Czechoslovakia important?

Answer 14

The invasion of Czechoslovakia proved the doctrine was a reality.

Question 15

What happened afterwards in terms of leadership in Czechoslovakia?

Answer 15

Dubeck remained in power until April 1969 because Soviets found it hard to find members of the Czechoslovakian Communist Party willing to take control of the regime. The new government led by Gustav Husak conformed to hard Soviet communism and remained in power until the collapse of communism.

Question 16

When did relations with China break down?

Answer 16

The Sino-Soviet alliance was formed in 1950, defunct by 1962.

Question 17

How did relations breakdown with China and the USSR?

Answer 17

Mao accused Khrushchev of revisionism (deviating from the revolutionary path of socialism), evidenced in his regards to attempts at peaceful coexistence and also attacked his removal of nuclear weapons from Cuba as a betrayal of the ‘Cuban Revolution’

This divergence can be seen in the actions the two governments took. Soviet Union withdrew technological aid from the Chinese by removing Soviet experts in 1960

Division deepened when Mao asked for the return of territory in 1964 that it claimed the USSR had occupied historically particularly parts of Siberia. Khruschev rejected this.

Question 18

What happened during the Malinosky Incident and when did it occur?

Answer 18

Brezhnev initially advocated for the restoration of positive relations with China motivated by USA’s increasing involvement in Vietnam conflict

This attempt of unity had failed and was further strained by the Malinovsky Incident. This was a Sino-Soviet talk held in late 1964, Malinovsky suggested to a Chinese delegate that the Chinese should just get rid of Mao just as they did Khrushchev.

Question 19

Tell me why the shared ideological foundations of the two sides were the main reason for their division?

Answer 19

Khrushchev felt that as the leader of the Soviet Union, he should be the leader of the communist world, but China always saw themselves as the junior partner in the alliance and resented this.

China wanted to be a global superpower, but it was apparent that the Sino-Soviet alliance was not contributing to that end.

It was clear that China felt humiliated that they were not treated as equals.

Question 20

What had been Nixon’s policies towards China?

Answer 20

Another reason why Chinese and American relations improved was the fact that Nixon saw it as a country with political and strategic importance in Asia.

The USA removed trade controls and travel restrictions as a first step.

Nixon then made it publically clear to French, Pakistani and Romanian diplomats that he wanted to improve relations.

Nixon also hoped that if he had improved relations with China that it would pressure the USSR into signing the SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty).

Question 21

What was the Cultural Revolution and why had this increased division regarding the USSR?

Answer 21

• An attempt from Mao to restore China back to its revolutionary communist roots and solidify his power.
• This had a Soviet dimension as according to Chinese rhetoric, USSR was led by revisionists and young followers in the Chinese Red Guard to intimidate the USSR.
• This had been illustrated when the Soviet Union’s embassy in Beijing was besieged and threatened to being burn down.