prague spring

• Establishment of a Communist government in Czechoslovakia

  1948
• Czechoslovakia under Communist government

  • Model satellite state to the Soviet Union
  • Economically successful
• Appointment of hard-line Communist Novotny to the Presidency

  1957
• Novotny's leadership


  • Strict Soviet style
  • Secret police took and kept political prisoners
  • Reforms allowed under destalinisation did not change life in Czechoslovakia
• Political discontent and economic hardship in Czechoslovakia

  Change was needed
• Hard-line Communist leader Novotny challenged in his leadership of the Communist Party by reformer Alexander Dubcek and the economist Ota Sik


  October 1967
• Brezhnev supported Dubcek as replacement for Novotny as Chairman of the Communist Party

  5th January 1968
• Novotny resigned as President, General Svoboda took over

  March 1968
• General Svoboda


  • War hero, sympathetic to Dubcek's proposed reforms
• Support for the Reformers (consequence)

  – Dubchek and Sik in Czechoslovakia challenged leadership of Novotny – Dubcek became leader of the communist party in January 1968; Svobada the President in March 1968. This appeared to be supported by Brezhnev as he had agreed to Dubcek taking the leadership of the communist party
• consequence 


  Reforms were introduced under Dubcek’s leadership

  These led to hope from more radical reformers that greater change and real democracy could exist e.g. setting up a rival Social Democratic party
• Dubcek's reforms


  1. Political change to develop democracy within Czechoslovakia

  2. Allow freedom of speech

  3. Uncensor media (press, radio, TV)

  4. Allow leaders of the communist Party to be "grilled" re corruption

  5. Reduce powers of the secret police to imprison without trial

  6. Remove trade restrictions and allow fresh contact with the West

  7. Create works councils representing the workforce to improve working conditions in factories

  8. Increase rights for members of Trade Unions
• response to reforms

  These reforms were reasonable and gentle enough to be accepted. However this stirred up further opposition to communism and led to more radical reform.

  • For example – In June 1968 the Social Democrats began to form a separate party as a rival party to the Communist Party.
  • A leading journalist, Ludwig Vaculik, published a manifesto, “The Two Thousand Words.” It aimed to rally the Czech people to demand more reform.
• Warsaw Pact impact (consequence)

  Tension between Warsaw Pact countries increased as there was fear Czechoslovakia would leave the Warsaw Pact.

  • Urged on by other Eastern Bloc leaders and the Communist leaders in Czechoslovakia, the Soviet Union invade Czechoslovakia on 20th August 1968, supported by Warsaw Pact countries to ensure the reforms did not continue.
  • The Reforms were suppressed – leaders arrested; hard line communists put in positions of power
• Brezhnev Doctrine, 1968


  USSR passed a ruling that they would have the right to invade any country in eastern Europe whose actions appear to threaten the security of the Eastern Bloc.

  • ->Therefore, Brezhnev argued he had no choice but to invade Czechoslovakia as the actions by Dubcek threatened the Warsaw Pact and Soviet control of eastern Europe. The doctrine also clearly redefined communism as :

  1. One Party system
  2. All had to belong to the Warsaw Pact
• Brezhnev Doctrine intent


  Also, this was intended to warn Warsaw Pact countries not to rebel. It also stated that if any capitalist country threatened any communist country then other communist states had the right to intervene by using force.
• Response from the USSR 


  invasion on 20th August 1968
• June 1968


  – Soviet tanks remained in Czechoslovakia after Warsaw pact exercises
• July 1968


  Brezhnev net with leaders of the Warsaw Pact countries in Warsaw. They shared concerns over what was happening in Prague. Brezhnev then met with Dubcek a few days later. Dubcek agreed not to allow a new Social Democratic Party and to remain in the Warsaw Pact. However he insisted on continuing with the initial programme of reforms. The Soviet Union seemed reassured
• August 3 1968


  Dubcek met with Brezhnev and other Warsaw Pact leaders in Bratislava

  • Bratislava Declaration was signed; all pledged their support to communism
• 9th August


  Tito was welcomed to Czechoslovakia – the leader of Yugoslavia was distrusted by the Soviet Union and there was renewed fear that Dubcek would move away from the USSR.
• 15-18 August


  In response to the Tito visit, a Politburo meeting in the Soviet Union was held

  Brezhnev ended the three day meeting by shouting at Dubcek down the phone saying his actions would damage the Warsaw Pact.
• 20-21 August 1968


  An invasion from Warsaw Pact troops led by the USSR.

  Protestors collected in Wenceslas Square – barricades went up; buildings were set on fire.

  However no real military resistance so only a few hundred were killed in total.

  Dubcek and other leaders were arrested and taken to Moscow. Hard line Communists were returned to power
• consequences In Czechoslovakia


  demonstrations against the invasion continued until April 1969 – Jan Palach (student) set himself on fire in January 1969 as a protest. Yet the Communist Party was purged; Dubcek resigned. Husak appointed as hard line leader in his place.
• Effect on USSR and USA relations

  Temporarily worsened relations

  Britain and USA protested against the actions in Czechoslovakia. Yet ultimately it had little impact – the thaw continued.

  USA were preoccupied by a presidential election for L.B. Johnson and Vietnam.

  There was an unspoken deal that the USA would not intervene further in Vietnam if they left Czechoslovakia alone
• consequences in Western Europe


  While there was condemnation of events in Czechoslovakia, no-one acted to support them.

  Communist parties in Italy and France distanced themselves from the USSR.

  Development of their own style of communism known as Eurocommunism
• consequences in Communist Countries

  Rivalry increased between the USSR and china. China criticised the use of force against a fellow communist nation. The Chinese feared the USSR may take the same action against them
• consequences in Europe


  Some European communist countries also distanced themselves from the Soviet Union eg Caeusescu of Romania refused to send troops to join the forces invading Czechoslovakia; grew more independent.

  • Albania did the same and left the Warsaw Pact.
  • Romanian and Yugoslavian communists formed alliances with China.
  • No reaction to this as they were preoccupied with Czechoslovakia
• Why did the USSR respond like this?

  The USSR were worried about changes in Czechoslovakia

  they feared them removing themselves from the Warsaw Pact

  • Economically, industry was strong in Czechoslovakia and the geographical position of Czechoslovakia meant the Warsaw Pact would be severely weakened – NATO would be able to move in.
  • This would lead to the Eastern Bloc being separated and meaning that NATO’s frontier would border the Soviet Union 700km into the Eastern Bloc.
• Why did the USSR respond like this?

  Other communist leaders feared reform would spread so there was pressure from Ulbricht (East Germany), Gomulka (Poland). Bilak (Slovakian Communist Party) and five other leaders of communism in Czechoslovakia wrote a letter to Brezhnev suggesting communism was under threat and asking for Brezhnev to “use all the means at your disposal” to end these reforms.
• Czechoslovakia threat


  The Soviet Union was also concerned that Czechoslovakia were becoming closer to West Germany i.e. trade mainly so there was fear West Germany may dominate the economy of eastern Europe over time.