The Prague Spring Flashcards
CZECHOSLOVAKIA BASIC FACTS:
Czechoslovakia was anEastern European country in the Soviet Union’s ‘Eastern Bloc’. It was a satellite countryunder Communist control.
What were the events of the Prague spring?
• There wasless censorshipso people could openly criticise Communism and the Czech government.
• Trade Unions (that helped workers with pay and conditions) were allowed.
• The government controlof land and industry was relaxed. Trade with countries outside the Eastern Bloc was allowed.
• Czech people were given thefreedom to travelto countries outside the Eastern Bloc.
• There wasopen discussionabout allowing political parties other than the Communist Party.
A time for change (the Prague spring)
• In January 1968, a new communist leader of
Czechoslovakia came to power called Alexander Dubcek
• He was still a communist but had a morel‘iberal’ (free)
idea of what Communism should be like.
• He called his more liberal version of Communism
‘Socialism with a Human Face.’ In other words, he still believed strongly in communism but cared more about the conditions of his people.
• He wanted people toenjoy their lives and be able to express their views without the fear of being punished.
• The Soviet Union liked and trusted Dubcek and wanted
him to make Communismmore popular.
• Dubcek also strongly wanted to stay in the Warsaw Pact
and had no intention of leaving.
• Dubcek made reforms (changes to the law) that gave
more freedom to the Czech people.
• This time of freedom in Czechoslovakia was known
as The Prague Spring as the reforms started in April (Springtime). Prague was the capital of Czechoslovakia and where the changes started to take place.
What were the consequences of the Prague spring?
• Most people in Czechoslovakia welcomed the changes and liked their new freedom.
• The Soviet Union had anew leader in 1968 called Brezhnev. He disliked the Prague Spring and the new freedoms given to the Czech people.
• Brezhnev worried that other Eastern European countries would want to gain more freedom and this would damage the powerful image of the Soviet Union.
The Soviet Union needed to make message clear that no other Eastern European country should attempt to make the same
reforms.
How did Brezhnev react to the Prague spring?
• Brezhnev warnedDubcek not to weaken communism and to stay strict.
• Brezhnev ordered hisWarsaw Pact troopsto carry out military practice just outside the border of Czechoslovakia as a warning. Brezhnev decided then to take military actionand invaded.
• 20th August 1968, 500,000 Warsaw Pacttroops invaded Czechoslovakia and stop the Prague Spring.
How did Dubcek react to the Soviet invasion? (The Prague spring)
• Rather than fight back, Dubcek ordered his army and the people toremain
peaceful as there would be no chance of defeating the Soviet Troops
anyway.
• Some individuals attacked Warsaw Pact soldiers and blocked roads but it
remained a peaceful.
• The final outcome for Dubcek
• Dubcek was arrestedand ordered by Brezhnev to change his reforms.
• He was replaced with a hardliner (strict/tough) communist leader.
• For the next 20 years, Czechoslovakia was understrict Soviet controlagain
to prevent another ‘Prague Spring’.
What was the main consequence of the Prague spring and the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia?
THE BREZHNEV DOCTRINE 1968:
A doctrine is a ‘belief’. Brezhnev said that if any communist country attempted freedom, Warsaw Pact troops would be sent in. This was a way to stop any other countries from attempting their own Prague Spring. He did this in Sept. 1968.
What was the impact in Czechoslovakia? (The Prague spring)
• The Soviet invasion ended the time of the Prague Spring. The Soviet invasion led back to strict Soviet control again.
How did the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia and the Prague spring affect the relationship between other soviet countries?
• Other countries such as Yugoslavia and Romania spoke out against the Soviet invasion which made their relationship with the Soviet Union worse. Communist political parties in Italy and France cut their links to the Soviet Union.
• The massive invasion of the Soviet Union led to a very tight control over other Eastern European countries to prevent others trying to gain more freedom. The invasion showed the massive power of the Warsaw Pact troops.
How did the Prague spring and Soviet invasion impact the relations between the USA and USSR?
• The USA were outraged by the invasion of Czechoslovakia and made public protests.
• The Soviet Union realised that nobody could really do anything about their invasion apart from use words against it.
• It showed that the USA was keen to criticise the Soviet Union but was very unlikely to actually carry out any action against
it. The USA had started a war in Vietnam and so this made action against the Soviet Union more unlikely.
