The Prague Spring Flashcards

1
Q

When was the Pragua Spring?

A

1968

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2
Q

What allowed the Prague Spring to occur?

A

Soviet weakness caused by:

  1. ‘Defeat’ of Cuban Missile Crisis 1962
  2. Sino-Soviet split
  3. Atmosphere of detente (from Ostpolitik)
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3
Q

What did other Eastern Bloc states hope to gain from this Soviet weakness?

A
  • Poland - trade with the West
  • Romania - work with FRG
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4
Q

How did the Soviets try to stem the tide of independent initiatives?

A

By trying to define what all the Warsaw Pact coutnries wanted from detente in the…

Brezhnev Doctrine 1966

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5
Q

What were the 4 specifications the Brezhnev Doctrine identified as what all Warsaw Pact nations wanted out of detente?

A
  1. Recognition of post-war frontiers in Europe
  2. Creation of a new European Security System
  3. A veto on nuclear weapons for FRG
  4. A programme for economic, scientific, and technological cooperation between East and West
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6
Q

Was the Brzhnev Doctrine successful?

A

Not really - only partly held leaders back

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7
Q

What was developed that made the West antagonise the East very little, and gave them justification for accepting the Brezhnev Doctrine?

A

The Harmel Report

1967

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8
Q

What did the Harmel Report specifically state?

A

Updated NATO’s role by committing it to:

  1. Defending Western Europe
  2. Reaching detente with the East
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9
Q

What caused the divisions in the West?

General result?

A
  • US invasion of Vietnam - lost some credibility as leader of West
  • W Europe rejected Johnson’s idea of inevitable ‘global confrontation

Concentrated on easing tension independently

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10
Q

Why were W and E European relations somewhat improved?

A

W Europe felt that Brezhnev was more sensible than Khrushchev

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11
Q

What was De Gaulle’s view on America?

A

Vehmently anti-American

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12
Q

What did De Gaulle do on account of his anti-Americansim?

A
  1. 1966 withdrew France from NATO, developed EC for USSR cooperation
  2. Expelled NATO’s main office from PAris in 1966
  3. Tried to weaken the US dollar
  4. Denounced the ‘bloc mentality’ of Europe
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13
Q

What almost happened as a result of French attacks towards America and FRG’s moves towards Ostpolitik?

Why not?

A

Almost saw Congress vote for the US to withdraw forces from Europe

Johnson pursuaded them not to so as to avoid NATO’s collapse

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14
Q

When did Dobcek become the First Secretary of the Czech Communist Party?

A

January 1968

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15
Q

What did Dubcek want to create?

A

A socialist system based on consent

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16
Q

When did Dubcek unveil the Prague Spring?

Brief definition?

A

April 1968

Programme for democratic reform

‘Socialism with a human face’

17
Q

What did Dubcek try to do?

How did the Czech public respond?

A

Tried to preserve socialism, BUT public opinion began to press for democracy on a western basis

18
Q

How did Dubcek increase freedom of speech in Czechoslovakia?

Effect?

A

Dropped censorship

Flood of anti-Soviet propaganda

19
Q

What was the response of Brezhnev and other Warsaw Pact leaders to the Prague Spring?

A

Worried them

15th July Brezhnev met with Dubcek warned him he was ‘deeply concerned’ and that it was a ‘common concern’ of all Eastern bloc coutnries

20
Q

What did Dubcek agree with Brezhnev that he would do in response to concerns?

Likely?

A

Restore censorship

Unlikely - too much momentum

21
Q

What did Brezhnev do despite Dubcek’s promise?

A

No confidence

20-21 August

20 divisions of Warsaw Pact troops ended the Prague Spring

22
Q

How long did the Brezhnev Doctrine last?

A

1968-89 with fall of Berlin Wall

23
Q

Western response to Brezhnev Doctrine?

A

Accepted as within Soviet sphere

24
Q

Short-termist view of Prague Spring

Long-term?

A

French PM: ‘traffic accident ont he raod to detente’

L-T: Allowed Breznev Doctrine to stand in the Soviet control of Eastern Europe

25
Q

What did Brezhnev fear from the Prague Spring?

A

Dominoe Effect

(bascially disintegrationof Soviet bloc of 1990s)