Topic 2 : Czechoslovakia

Question 1

Why was there oppostion to SU in Czechoslovakia?

Answer 1

Econ:
* All goods taken to SU little to buy in czech
* Poor econnomy= peopel have few goods
Political:
* No freedom of spech
* No democracy only comm
* Vilont purges ( stalin orderd) for anti comm
Social:
* Complain about poor standard of living
* Banned form travling to west

Question 2

Who was Dubcek? What did he do?

Answer 2

• Jan 1968 comm leader of czech
• libral comm
• ‘Comm with human face’
• enjoy life without punsihment
• Comm party trusts him as they want comm to be more populare
• made reforms to to give people more freedoms

Question 3

What was the Prage spring? What were the consequnces?

Order events of the Prage spring

Answer 3

• Reforms in April ( spring)
• less censorship= allows open critism
• Trade unions allowed
• People could travel to counrtys outside eastern block
• Open convo about other parities
  =>Most welcome changes= enjoy new freedom
  =>Brezhnev= new leader(1968), dislikes Spring
  =>B worried other Eastern Eurpean countrys would end up the same= danger to SU powerful image:
  SU need to send clear message no other Eastern Eurpean country should attempt ot do the same

Prage=capital

Dubech elections-> Spring-> Brezhneve doctrin/ SU responce-> milltary action

Question 4

How did Brezhneve respond? How did Dubeck react?

Order the event of the Prage spring

Answer 4

• Brerezhnev warns Dubeck not to weaken the comm party
• B orders Warsaw pact troops to carry ot millitary practice outside of Cze boarder ( warning)
• 20th August 1968-> 500,000 Warsaw pact toops invade to stop spring
• Dubcek orders peacful resistance
• Some people blocked roads but remained peacful
• Dubcek arrested ordered to change reforms-> replaced with a hardline comm leader
• +20 tought comm control

Dubech elections-> Spring-> Brezhneve/ SU responce-> milltary action->Brezhnev doctrine

Question 5

What the impact+ importance of the Prague spring?

Answer 5

• **Brezhnev doctrine Sept 1968 **-> any comm country trys to be free= Warsaw toops sent in= stop other country following Czech.
  Importance:
  1. Impact of Cezech
• SU invation leads to strong comm control
  2. Impact on relationship with other comm countrys:
  -Yugoslavia + Romaina spoke out against SU= Decline in realtions
  -Comm in France + Italy cut ties
  -Tight control in Eastern Europe= No freedoms/ prevented
  -Showed massive power of Wasaw troops
  3. Impact of USA SU relations
  -USA outrage-> public protests
  -SU saw nobody could do anthing only words
  -show: USA critise but don’t act-> Vietnam war already going

Question 6

Consequnces of the Brezhnev Doctrine

Answer 6

this means all Eastern Eroupe stick closly to Comm or risk invastion