Czechoslovakia 1968 Flashcards
Who replaced Khrushchev
Brezhnev a hard-line
How did conditions within CZ cause Prague Spring
Economic recession
Lack of civil rights
Student protests against Novotny’s leadership
Industrial products were being exported to the USSR
No freedom of press
How did actions of Dubcek cause Prague Spring
Introduced an action program, he called it Socialism with a human face
Freedom of speech and the press
He developed foreign trade
Removal of restrictions on travel abroad
Didn’t call for an end to communism or for CZ to leave Warsaw pact
Key Events of the Prague Spring
Dubcek’s reforms not warmly greeted in Moscow. Old fears resurfaced that if CZ was to enact its reforms it would result in destruction of the Iron Curtain
Other controlled countries also were worried about the leaders of Poland, East Germany, Hungary and Bulgaria wrote to CZ with their concerns. Dubcek assured them that CZ would remain within the Warsaw Pact
Action of Brezhnev during Czech Rising
Despite Dubcek’s guarantees Brezhnev ordered 400,000 troops into the country in August 1968
After the invasion Brezhnev summoned Dubcek to Moscow for a meeting
Brezhnev had Ducek replaced with the much more hardline Gustav Husak who made sure that reforms were undone
Action of Dubcek during Czech Rising
Dubcek realised armed resistance would be pointless and ordered opposition to come in the form of passive resistance (resisted in ways as painting anti-Soviet slogans on tanks)
When Dubcek returned to Czechoslovakia he declared Prague Spring over and ended reforms. He then resigned.
Actions taken by the USSR to deal with unrest in Czechoslovakia, 1968
20 August 1968 Brezhnev ordered 400,000 Warsaw Pact soldiers to invade Czechoslovakia
Czechs wished to avoid bloodshed of Hungarian Rebellion and offered passive resistance only 73 Czechs killed. Anti-Soviet slogans painted on Soviet Tanks and sit downs in front of soviet tanks showed the hostility of Czech people. One student Jan Palach burned himself to death in protest.
After invasion Dubcek summoned to Moscow and on 28 August agreed to end Prague Spring and return to pre-1968 rule later he was sacked and replaced by Husak who was loyal to the USSR
In November 1968 the Brezhnev Doctrine
What is Brezhnev Doctrine
In November 1968. The Brezhnev Doctrine restated the determination of the USSR to maintain control over Eastern Europe. Security of the USSR and Warsaw Pact remained a central part of Soviet foreign policy and deterred further unrest in Eastern Europe for the next decade.
Response of the West and impact on international relations
Thousands of communist party members in western Europe resigned their membership
The USA was preoccupied with Vietnam and had accepted it could do little in the Iron Curtain
USA was keen not to damage a period of better relations with USSR known as Détente
Response of the USSR and impact on international relations
Brezhnev justified actions by claiming it was right of USSR to prevent a communist state turning to Capitalism this became known as the Brezhnev Doctrine
Response of the Eastern Europe and impact on international relations
Brezhnev’s action weakened the Eastern Block (Iron Curtain) Albania would leave the Warsaw Pact in protest of USSR’s actions.
Hungary 1956 V. Czechoslovakia 1968, Origins
Both were unhappy with poor living conditions and the economy
Both were unhappy about the limits on civil rights.
both began with students protest.
Nagy wanted multi-party election and to leave the Warsaw Pact Dubcek wanted to remain communist and stay in the Warsaw Pact
Hungary 1956 V. Czechoslovakia 1968, Events and reaction of the USSR
In both cases the USSR responds by ordering in troops and tanks
In Hungary the people resist resulting in death of 30,000 people. In Czechoslovakia there is little violence as Dubcek orders passive resistance.
In Hungary Russian troops were used, in CZ Warsaw Pact troops were used.
Results of both of the uprisings in Hungary 1956 V. Czechoslovakia
Both resulted in installation of a new hardline leader.
The west did nothing to intervene in both cases
Both countries brought back under Soviet control
Nagy was killed. Dubcek resigned
