21. Czechoslovakia

Question 1

Give 3 issues Czechoslovakia had that were common to all members behind the iron curtain

Answer 1

• it was a one party communist state
• it had to answer to Moscow as a member of the Warsaw Pact
• opposition was banned

Question 2

Give 3 issues specific to Czechoslovakia in the 1960s

Answer 2

• the leader Anthonin Novotny was corrupt and unpopular
• Moscow rejected the country’s call for change
• both industry and agriculture were almost at a standstill

Question 3

Who called for reform in Czechoslovakia during novotny’s rule and what did he suggest?

Answer 3

Respected economist Ota silk, he argued people should have more power and private businesses shouldn’t be banned

Question 4

When did novotny resign?

Answer 4

January 1968 after he was forced by the soviet government

Question 5

Who replaced novotny?

Answer 5

Alexander dubcek

Question 6

How did dubcek brake break Moscow’s trust?

Answer 6

As he introduced political reforms and called them socialism with a human face

Question 7

Give 2 reforms dubcek introduced to the political system in making it more democratic

Answer 7

• introduced free elections

- opposition parties were allowed

Question 8

Give 3 of dubcek’s reforms that improved economic circumstances

Answer 8

• increased standards of living
• allowing the formation of trade unions
• removed state controls on industry so people could start up their own businesses

Question 9

Give 3 reforms of dubcek’s that allowed for greater freedom

Answer 9

• end of press censorship
• gave people the right to travel to non communist countries
• allowed public meetings and freedom of speech

Question 10

What was the Prague spring?

Answer 10

The changes dubcek made to Czechoslovakia

Question 11

How did dubcek go further after Moscow allowed his other reforms?

Answer 11

• announced he would open borders with western countries

- planned to remove all remaining press censorship

Question 12

What were dubcek’s three aims in introducing reforms?

Answer 12

• to have a democratic political system
• to have greater freedom
• to improve economic circumstances

Question 13

Why was Brezhnev (new su leader) and other members of the Warsaw Pact concerned by the Prague spring?

Answer 13

As Brezhnev needed to maintain control without causing more issues

Question 14

How was the Prague spring situation made worse?

Answer 14

When Poland called for reforms to be allowed

Question 15

When did the Warsaw Pact meet and what did they do against the Prague spring?

Answer 15

-In June 1968 they carried out military exercises along the Czech border to send a clear message to Brezhnev

Question 16

When was the Warsaw letter issued and what was it for?

Answer 16

Issued in July 1968 and was a final warning to dubcek to back down his reforms but he didn’t listen

Question 17

When was Prague seized and by who?

Answer 17

On 20th August 1968 by soviet forces

Question 18

What were the casualties that came about in Prague?

Answer 18

A hundred protesters were killed and 500 were wounded

Question 19

What did dubcek order his army to do when Prague was seized?

Answer 19

Not to fight as he knew they stood no chance and would be killed

Question 20

How did the soviets ‘win’ from the Prague ordeal?

Answer 20

In 1969, dubcek was expelled from the party and a new loyal hard line government was established

Question 21

Give two reasons Brezhnev himself lead to the Prague spring movement

Answer 21

• he didn’t intervene at first as he just wanted communism to premain in the country
• he didn’t intend on the situation to become like the Hungarian uprising

Question 22

Give two ways the Warsaw Pact led to the Prague spring movement

Answer 22

• the Warsaw letter sent to dubcek warned that a challenge of communism in one country risks challenge in all countries
• students in plans wanted their own dubckek

Question 23

Give three ways dubcek himself led to the Prague spring movement

Answer 23

• wanted press censorship gone and open borders with western countries
• refused to reverse reforms as Brezhnev advised
• Warsaw Pact military attempted to intimidate dubcek by performing military exercises on Czechoslovakia’s border

Question 24

Give 2 ways the SU responded to the new government in Czechoslovakia after the Prague spring movement

Answer 24

• there was a small protest in Red Square, Moscow
• Red Army were told the invasion was at request of the people of Czechoslovakia. After arriving and realising it was a lie, returning soldiers shared their experiences damaging reputation of soviet leadership

Question 25

Give 2 global communist responses to the new government in Czechoslovakia after the Prague spring movement

Answer 25

• there were protests in Yugoslavia and China (not part of the su sphere of influence)
• the event in Czechoslovakia destroyed many peoples faith in communism

Question 26

Give 2 ways the west responded to the new government in Czechoslovakia after the Prague spring movement

Answer 26

• the USA condemned the invasion and cancelled the meeting between Brezhnev and president Johnson
• many communists in the West saw the invasion as a betrayal of communist principles and an act of imperialism

Question 27

Name one very damaging response to the Prague spring movement?

Answer 27

The Brezhnev Doctrine

Question 28

What was the Brezhnev doctrine and when was it made?

Answer 28

In November 1968, it was a speech by Brezhnev that meant if any other Warsaw member behaved the same as Czechoslovakia, it would be dealt with the same force

Question 29

How did the USA see the Brezhnev doctrine?

Answer 29

President Nixon saw it as defensive and wanted to save progress already made between them and the su

Question 30

What impact did the Brezhnev doctrine have on the east?

Answer 30

The Chinese were worried it meant the su would interfere with China which was undergoing a cultural revolution