• Prague Spring and invasion of Czechoslovakia 1968

Question 1

What was the Prague Spring?

Answer 1

Antonin Novotny was unpopular
-Secret police were feared.
-No political opposition was allowed.
-Economic problems and poor living standards. He was Replaced by Alexander Dubcek
-Friend of Brezhnev but wanted to make a more popular form of Communism
-‘Socialism with a human face’
-Opposition groups allowed, less censorship, political criticism, some aspects of Capitalism allowed.
Brezhnev could not allow changes and tried to persuade Dubcek to reverse them. When he refused to do so Brezhnev:
-Ordered invasion of Czechoslovakia
-Brezhnev Doctrine – USSR will invade any East European country if the security of Eastern Bloc is threatened
-Dubcek forced to sign Moscow Protocol and reverse most of his changes

Question 2

Results of Czech invasion

Answer 2

Many similarities with Hungary but the main difference was that this invasion was mainly peaceful – Czechs were told not to fight back

-Further evidence of unpopularity of Soviet style control

-Showed Soviet commitment to protecting Eastern Bloc

-Condemned by US but no military help

-Other Communist parties across Europe condemn it – showed that Soviet Communism had lost support and authority