Unit 2.3 - Czechoslovakia 1968 - 1969

Question 1

In 1948, Stalin had established a…

Answer 1

pro-Soviet communist government in Czechoslovakia under the leadership of the Czech communist party Klement Gottwald.

Question 2

Life under communist rule for the Czechs…

Answer 2

1. secret police to maintain control and extreme surveillance
2. Czech economy was run for the benefit of the Soviet Union
3. Few consumer goods
4. No freedom of speech and censored media

Question 3

Who was elected as head of the Czech government in 1968?

Answer 3

Alexander Dubcek

Question 4

Soviets trusted Dubcek to make the Czech communist government more…

Answer 4

effective and less unpopular

Question 5

Dubcek was committed to the Warsaw Pact and believed that communism was the right political path but…

Answer 5

should not cause suffering

Question 6

Socialism with a…

Answer 6

human face

Question 7

What did Dubcek believe in when he believed in Socialism with a Human Face?

Answer 7

Equality, enjoyment of life for all and ability to express opinions freely, even if it means its against communism, without the fear of being punished.

Question 8

Reforms introduced by Dubcek became known as…

Answer 8

The Prague Spring

Question 9

The Prague Spring: Censorship

Answer 9

censorship was relaxed and criticism of government actions was allowed

Question 10

The Prague Spring: Trade Unions

Answer 10

trade unions were given wider powers and government control of industry was reduced

Question 11

The Prague Spring: more power for regional…

Answer 11

governments

Question 12

The Prague Spring: the Czechs were given more…

Answer 12

freedom e.g. freedom to travel abroad

Question 13

The Prague Spring: multi-party elections

Answer 13

were discussed though this was unlikely to happen for many years

Question 14

Czechoslovakian response to Prague Spring

Answer 14

met with great enthusiasm and hope for the future

Question 15

Moscow reaction to Prague Spring

Answer 15

• met with uncertainty
• Brezhnev (replaced Khrushchev at this point) disapproved of many of the Dubcek reforms.

Question 16

Brezhnev replaced Khrushchev in

Answer 16

1968 as Soviet leader

Question 17

Brezhnev urged Dubcek not to endanger…

Answer 17

communism in Czechoslovakia by going too far in his reforms.

Question 18

Why did Brezhnev finally decide to intervene?

Answer 18

Soviet leaders were concerned over these recent developments in Czechoslovakia. Recalling the 1956 uprising in Hungary, leaders in Moscow worried that if Czechoslovakia carried reforms too far, other satellite states in Eastern Europe might follow, leading to a widespread rebellion against Moscow’s leadership of the Eastern Bloc.

There was also a danger that the Soviet Republics in the East, such as the Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia might make their own demands for more liberal policies.

Dubcek invited Romanian and Yugoslavian officials to Prague for talks - suspicious of his intentions.

Question 19

When was the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia?

Answer 19

20th August 1968

Question 20

How many Warsaw troops?

Answer 20

500 000

Question 21

Brief explanation of the invasion:

Answer 21

In anticipation of the invasion, the Soviet Union had moved troops from the Soviet Union, along with limited numbers of troops from Hungary, Poland, East Germany and Bulgaria into place by announcing Warsaw Pact military exercises. When these forces did invade, they swiftly took control of Prague, other major cities, and communication and transportation links.

Question 22

Dubcek was arrested sent to Moscow and asked to reverse his…

Answer 22

reforms

Question 23

Who was Dubcek replaced by?

Answer 23

Gustav Husak (loyal to Moscow and very communist)

Question 24

For the next ___ years, Czechoslovakia remained a part of the Soviet Union.

Answer 24

20

Question 25

THE BREZHNEV DOCTRINE

Answer 25

The Soviet Union reserved the right to invade any country that threatened the security of the Eastern Bloc.

So, all communist countries would be prevented from introducing reforms to make their country more liberal.

Question 26

The US reaction

Answer 26

USA publicly condemned the Soviet invasion and wanted to publish a formal resolution condemning the Soviets however the Soviet Union vetoed it.

However, the USA would not take direct action to oppose the Soviet Union despite making protests as they could not risk being viewed as an aggressor.

Question 27

Impact between other communist countries in Europe:

Answer 27

1. communist parties in Italy and France cut links with Moscow
2. East Germany and Poland welcomed the invasion as they felt more secure that reformers in their own countries would be discouraged
3. The suppression of the ‘Prague Spring’ led to an increased Soviet control of the Warsaw Pact. This was reinforced by the Brezhnev Doctrine which emphasised that members of the Warsaw Pact were under the close control of the Soviet Union.

Question 28

The impact on the USA’s international reputation

Answer 28

The USA was involved in a costly war in Vietnam and was also beginning to adopt a policy of detente with the Soviet Union.

Other countries saw that the USA was keen to criticise the Soviet Union but were much less prepared to take action.