Prague Spring

• what happened in Czechoslovakia after the war


  communist coup- shocked the west as Czechoslovakia initially had free elections. Klement Gottwald became leader
• Czechoslovakia became a model Soviet satellite state- what does this mean

  totally obedient, followed Moscow's orders slavishly
• Antonin Novotny replaced Gottwald- he was a hardline communist like Rakosi in Hungary. how did he impact Czechoslovakia


  allowed large-scale interference from the USSR in Czech affairs. widespread use of secret police. no freedom of speech. TV censored. those with wartime connections to the west purged e.g. democratic politicians. slow to adapt to Krushchev's policy of de-stalinisation
• describe the Czech economy in the 1950s and 60s

  run for the benefit of the USSR who controlled Czech economic policy. few consumer goods- focus = raw materials for USSR. GDP declined
• Novotny became increasingly unpopular in Czechoslovakia- what did the Soviets do in response to this


  [e.g. protests against him in 1966] the Soviets agree to replace Novotny with a more moderate communist leader- Alexander Dubcek to prevent a revolution & Czechoslovakia leaving the Warsaw Pact
• what did Dubcek do next as prime minister of Czechoslovakia

  began to argue that a comm gov should offer 'socialism with a human face' meaning reforms and more freedom. Dubcek introduced reforms in april 1968 and this became known as the Prague Spring
• why were these reforms popular in Czechoslovakia

  he increasingly adopted capitalist economic views that favoured a greater role for private enterprise- Czechs supportive of this as they are now allowed to make their own profit
• give examples of the reforms


  censorship relaxed, ppl allowed to criticise the gov e.g. comm party leaders grilled ab economy + corruption in interviews on TV, reduced powers of secret police, travel restrictions lifted- can travel to the west + WG, trade w the west increased
• what does Dubcek then announce

  a 10 year programme for political change & democratisation- free elections + more than one party
• who is concerned by Dubcek's reforms and why

  the Soviets, other comm rulers in the warsaw pact- worried that Czechoslovakia might abandon communist rule altogether and leave the warsaw pact. e.g. Yugoslav leader Tito refused to follow Moscow's leadership and was expelled from the WP- 1968 Tito visited Prague- could he be encouraging Dubcek to leave??- destabilises WP
• what actions did Brezhnev take in august 1968


  sent 1/2 a mill WP army troops in- mainly EG and Poland. invaded Czechoslovakia
• results of the invasion

  under 100 Czechs shot & killed, many injured. many felt this invasion was worse than the Nazi one of 1939 as Soviets were meant to be their ally. Dubcek & other reformers arrested & taken to Moscow. Czeck army took no action
• consequence 1- the Brezhnev Doctrine


  announced to justify the invasion. the USSR has the right to invade EE countries if their actions threaten the whole eastern bloc. all comm countries must remain part of the WP + USSR will suppress any attempts to relax comm control. other comm states can intervene with force if a comm country is threatened by a cap country
• consequence 2- Czechoslovakia


  protests continued until april 1969 e.g. Jan Palach student who self-immolated. Czech party was purged of pro-reform members. hardline comms took over e.g. Gustav Husak
• consequence 3- Soviet-US relations

  US condemned invasion but did not get involved & US currently involved with war in Vietnam. overall little change (tension still lessened since cuban missile crisis)
• consequence 4- western europe


  comm parties in w. europe were v critical of the invasion so the soviets began losing their influence over these parties
• consequence 5- relations between eastern comm countries

  romania refused to send troops to help the invasion and began to take a more independent line like Armania who left the WP in 1968. China condemned the invasion, damaging their relationship with the Soviet Union