Czechoslovakia 1968-69

Question 1

Antonin Novotny

Answer 1

Unpopular Czech communist party leader from 1953-68, was forced to resign in 1968 because of his unpopularity.

Question 2

Alexander Dubcek

Answer 2

New ‘liberal’ Czech communist leader who believed in ‘socialism with a human face’

Question 3

Socialism with a human face

Answer 3

Dubcek’s less oppressive version of communism which involved relaxation of press censorship, political opposition, reduced government control of industry.

Question 4

Prague spring

Answer 4

Dubcek’s reforms were popular amoungst Czech people, the soviets invaded in 1968 and weren’t met by resistance. Dubcek removed from office and forced to sign Moscow Protocol.

Question 5

Czechoslovakian invasion

Answer 5

Brezhnev warned Dubcek during the Prague spring to not endanger communism. 20 August 1968 500,000 Warsaw pact troops invade czechoslovakia without Czech military interference.

Question 6

American reaction to Czech invasion

Answer 6

Worsened relations, USA prostested and passed a formal resolution through the UN but was vetoed by the USSR.

Question 7

Other communist parteeses reactions the the Czech invasion

Answer 7

Soviet communism had lost lots of support from communist party’s in western Europe , but some party leaders(poland for example) agreed with Brezhnev’s actions

Question 8

Brezhnev Doctrine

Answer 8

Roughly states that the actions of one communist party affects the whole of communism. i.e. he wouldn’t let one satellite state relax it’s policies because others would follow and loosen Moscow’s control of Eastern Europe.