european detente

• When did signals of Czechoslovak revolt begin to rise and why?

  Mid 1960s... signs of revolt started to rise because of economic problems.

  1963- GNP fell to the lowest since WW2!

  Many people believed that the communist party was the reason for this (inefficiency and corruption) and by 1966, influenced by economist Sik, wanted political reform to bring about economic changes.
• What did the USSR do in response to this, and when?

  They believed that new leadership was needed so in JANUARY 1968 they removed NOVOTNY from power and put in Dubcek who appeared to be a typical party bureaucrat and Slovak who people would agree with
• What was the problem with Dubcek?

  Instead of opposing the idea of political reform, he began to develop ideas around a new style of socialism. He began to replace key officials with those who wanted reform.
• What did he introduce in April 1968?

  The Prague Spring, the Action Programme

  Reforms under "socialism with a human face"

  These included the decrease in press censorship

  Recognition of Israel

  Allowing companies to respond to consumer demand over government targets

  Free movement to Western countries

  Increased rights and representation for the Slovaks
• How did the Eastern bloc react?

  Many loyal to the Soviets talked of the danger of "democratic infection"-most were alarmed

  Reformist ideas were spreading to Poland as the Prague Spring coincided with student protests which called for their own Dubcek
• How did Dubcek attempt to protect his reforms?

  By assuring the Soviets that Czechoslovakia remained committed to the Warsaw Pact
• What did Dubcek do when no significant opposition to his action plan emerged?

  He pushed further- allowing open borders with the West, planned for a trade agreement with West Germany, ended all press censorship

  However, he still stressed how this was within the framework of the communist party
• What did Brezhnev do prior to Soviet invasion?

  He was in constant contact with Dubcek attempting to convince him that his reforms had gone too far

  Anti-Soviet ideas were already being spread in books, essays and plays eg. Vaclav Havel

  In June 1968, the Warsaw Pact countries conducted military exercises in Czechoslovakia in an attempt to intimidate Dubcek

  The last meeting between Brezhnev and Dubcek took place in July and Dubcek was showing no sign of leaving his liberalising path
• When did the Warsaw Pact countries invade Czechoslovakia?

  20-21 August 1968
• What were the impacts of the invasion?- Czechoslovakia

  • The Brezhnev Doctrine- Nov 1968. Brezhnev justifies the invasion in stating that one countries deviation from communism threatens the whole socialist bloc and he has the right to intervene
  • Dubcek not removed from power until April 1969 because Brezhnev could not find someone in the Czech communist party who wanted to lead
  • Protests continued in Czechoslovakia in late 1968, underground opposition grew across the whole Eastern bloc
  • Soviets had proved they would violate human rights and liberty of the Czechoslovak people
  • Husak, the new gov, needed to be consolidated with Red Army presence in the country which persisted until 1990. Instability.
• What was Ospolitik?


  Normalisation of relations between the East and West Germany
• When was Konrad Adenauer chancellor of West Germany?

  1949-63
• What did Adenauer believe in which undermined East-West relations?

  He believed in the reunification of Germany. He refused to accept the existing division of Germany eg. through the 1955 Hallstein Doctrine and rejecting relations with East Germany
• When did Willy Brandt become chancellor of the FRG?

  October 1969
• What was different about Brandt to Adenauer?

  Brandt was committed to political realism having been mayor of West Berlin during the building of the Berlin Wall, witnessing the impacts of division first hand. He wanted to rebuild relations with East Germany.
• Who did Willy Brandt want to negotiate with?

  • East Germany, accepting post war territorial changes and recognising the FDR
  • Poland- accepting border changes at the Oder Neisse line
  • The Soviet Union
• Why was Willy Brandt frustrated with the USA?

  America had accepted the Berlin Wall and West Germany had become increasingly dependant on the USA following its construction.

  3 days following Kennedy's Ich bin ein berliner speech Brandt had demanded in a speech that Berlin needed action not words.

  Therefore, Willy Brandt wanted independence for West German policy.
• Treaty of Moscow


  August 1970,

  Stimulated the start of detente

  Accepted German borders of division post-WW2

  Rejection of the use of force
• Treaty of Warsaw


  December 1970

  Accepted the border changes at the Oder Neisse line post WW2
• Brandt kneels for a monument commemorating the Warsaw Ghetto rising

  December 1970

  Became a symbol of Ospolitik
• The Berlin Agreement


  September 1971

  Recognised East Berlin as part of the GDR

  Retention of 4 power presence in Berlin

  Freer movement of people between East and West Berlin
• The Basic Treaty


  December 1972

  Formally recognised sovereignty of GDR and FRG

  Normalised relations between East and West Germany
• What were Brandt's aims for Ospolitik?

  An eventual reunification of Germany
• How can Brandt be seen as an idealist for Ospolitik?

  Did Ospolitik really achieve his aim?

  The division of Germany can be seen as consolidated under Ospolitik for example, in September 1973, the GDR and FRG joined the UN as seperate countries

  He may have opened up contacts with East Germany for an ideological advantage leading to reunification, however, the division was still deep
• How can Brandt be seen as a realist?

  He defused tensions and the possibility of military conflict in the hotspot of the Cold War

  The easing of relations between East and West would make eventual reunification much easier
• How did Ospolitik benefit the USSR?

  Post war division of Germany was accepted

  East had access to the technology of the West
• How did Ospolitik benefit the USA?

  They were initially worried but Ospolitik accepted the post war division.
• Brandt promoted peace in Europe, breaking the barrier of the Iron Curtain and encouraging cooperation between East and West. This would contribute to the...

  Helsinki Accords of August 1975!
• Why did Willy Brandt fall from power?

  Domestic pressure in West Germany- constantly being accused of being a socialist/ communist

  In 1974, it was revealed his closest aid Gunter Guillaume was an East German spy, forcing Brandt to resign
• When did Charles de Gaulle leave NATO's integrated command structure?

  1966
• When did Charles de Gaulle refuse the placing of US missiles in France?

  1966