Two effects of the Soviet Invasion of Czechoslovakia

Question 1

1st consequence

Answer 1

The first effect was that the USA and other western governments were angered by the invasion and many of them made strong protests against the Soviet Union.

• This is as the Prague Spring, a set of reforms that called for a relaxation of censorship and criticism of the government’s actions was ended. It gave Trade unions wider powers and government control of industry was reduced. Trade with the West had been increased
• Brezhnev (Soviet leader) disagreed with this and so sent 500,000 Warsaw Pact troops to invade Czechoslovakia and end the Prague Spring.
• Dubcek was sent to Moscow to reverse his reforms, but then later was removed from office and replaced with Husak, an extreme communist who was very loyal to Moscow. The country was under strict Soviet-approved communism, worsening superpower relations

Question 2

2nd consequence

Answer 2

The second effect was that the Brezhnev doctrine was announced.

• This doctrine, set out by the Soviet newspaper, Pravda, stated that the actions of any individual communist country affected all communist countries.
• this meant that all communist countries would be prevented from introducing reforms to make their country more liberal
• this worsened superpower relations
• there was an attempt to pass a formal resolution criticizing the invasion in the United Nations but this was vetoed out by the Soviet Union.