Pressures on USSR

• Pressures on the USSR 1963 - 1972

  • Prague Spring 1968 (Czech crisis II)
  • The response: The Brezhnev Doctrine
  • Relations with China (Sino - Soviet split)
• How did Brezhnev end up replacing Khrushchev?

  • Khrushchev politically damaged by the Cuban Missile Crisis and Berlin Crisis as well as domestic failures
  • 1964, while absent from the Kremlin, plotters in the party planned his removal
  • Returning from a holiday, Khrushchev, is pressured into resigning citing 'poor health' and Brezhnev becomes General Secretary and consolidates power
• Key differences between Khrushchev and Brezhnev's approaches?

  • Khrushchev permitted some reform and differentiation within communism in the E. Bloc as long as the country remained loyal and in the Warsaw pact (Poland vs Hungary)
  • Part of the reason for the split with China (more orthodox and unitary approach) and improved relations with Tito
• Key differences between Khrushchev and Brezhnev's approaches?

  • Under Brezhnev, the USSR sought to reassert itself as the leader of the communist world (vs PRC) and dissent both in the USSR and E. Bloc was to be repressed
  • led to a blacklash and movements in E. Europe demanded changes in leadership and policies (economic decline led the working classes to join intellectual movements)
  • including in Czechoslovakia
• Czech crisis II - Prague Spring 1968 - Background

  • Prague was the capital of Czechoslovakia, a nation formed as part of the Treaty of Versailles
• Czech crisis II - Prague Spring 1968 - Background

  • 1948: Czech coup; became a communist state
  • Relatively prosperous until 1963 (shrinking GDP)
• Czech crisis II - Prague Spring 1968 - Background

  Growing calls for reform:

  • EG. Prof Ota Sik (economist) proposed reforms to the command economy and then political reform - allowing individual enterprises to function and the existence of consumer rights
  • These arguments gained increasing public support
  • USSR, aware of the mounting pressure, ensured Novotny was replaced by Dubeck in 1968
  • (who it was thought would carry out only limited reforms to stablise the situation)
• Alexander Dubcek (1968 - 9) - was trusted by Brezhnev to manage limited reform and stablise Czechoslovakia. Replaced Antonin Novotny in January 1968 as leader of Czechoslovakia.

  Failed to achieve Brezhnev's purpose and in April 1969 he was removed from office
• Prague Spring reforms

  What reforms did Dubcek introduce?

  • freedom of speech
  • press and movement
  • travel to Western Countries
  • formal recognition of the state of Israel
  • freedom for economic enterprises to make decisions based on consumer demand rather than government targets
  • increased rights of autonomy for the politically repressed (and underrepresented) Slovak minority
• Prague Spring reforms

  What was the 'Action programme'

  • April 1968 Dubcek introduced Action programme
  • State Communist party's determination to achieve socialism according to a distinct Czechoslovakia path
  • To do this the government had to allow some changes
• Prague Spring reforms

  What role did Dubcek envisage for the communist party and other political organisations?

  • Communist party would retain its 'leading power' but it would acknowledge the legitimacy of non - party instituitions such as trade unions
  • Club of Non - Committed Party Members (KAN) and Club K - 231 organisation made of former political prisoners
  • Protect these reforms, Dubcek assured Moscow that Czechoslovakia would remain loyal to the Warsaw Pact
• Prague Spring reforms

  How did other Eastern Europe countries respond to the communist party and the political organisations?

  • Most countries in Eastern Europe were alarmed by these actions
• Prague Spring reforms

  How did the USSR intially respond to the other Eastern Europe countries being alarmed?

  • Soviets intially watched Czechoslovakia with interest to see how far the reforms would go
  • No clear opposition to the Action Programme emerged, reformers in the Czechoslovak Communist party took things even further
  • Ended all press censorship, planned to open borders with the West and even began discussions on a trade agreement with West Germany
  • Maintaining Czechoslovakia was a loyal member of the socialist order
• Reaction of the USSR

  How did Warsaw pact (and USSR) steadily escalate the response to Dubcek's reforms

  • to intimidate Dubcek the Warsaw Pact countries conducted military excercises in Czechoslovakia in late June 1968
  • Held a meeting of the leader of the USSR, Bulgaria, East Germany, Hungary and Poland on 14 - 15 july
  • Expressed their concerns regarding Czechoslovakia reforms
• Reaction to the USSR

  How did the Warsaw pact (and USSR) steadily escalate their response to Dubcek's reforms?

  • Subsequent Warsaw letter from the Warsaw pact to Czechoslovak officials and they summarised Czechoslovakia's right to internal self - determination
  • Also argued challenges to socialism within one country were a threat to the entire socialist movement
  • It could lead to a split in socialist unity
• Reaction of the USSR

  How did the Warsaw pact (and USSR) steadily escalate their response to Dubcek's reforms?

  • End of July Brezhnev and Dubcek had the last of six meetings regarding the actions in Czechoslovakia
  • Soviets were hoping to provoke a split with the Czechoslovakia Communist party, and that a pro - Soviet group would emerge that could then ask the Warsaw pact to provide military assistance to maintain order
• Reaction of the USSR

  How did the Warsaw pact (and USSR) steadily escalate their response to Dubcek's reforms

  • Brezhnev pressured Dubcek to repeal the reforms
  • Dubcek continued liberalising his path
  • Warsaw pact forces invaded Czechoslovakia on 20 - 21 August 1968
• Reaction of the USSR

  Wider significance of the invasion?

  • Warsaw pact faced no international action
  • Loudest complaints came from communist camp, some protests in China and Romania against the invasion
  • NATO did not feel threated by the invasion
  • USSR had violate the sovereignty and integrity of Czechoslovakia
  • Invasion appeared to undermine any possibility that change could be achieved through party led reform