“Prague Spring” 5th of January, 1968 – 21st of August 1968

Causes, Reforms, Invasion, Normalization

Peaceful opposition to Soviet Invasion by citizens of Prague

(Late August 1968)

Czechoslovakia before 1968

Created in 1918 from territory of Austria-Hungaryo 7million Czechs, 3.5million Germans, 2million Slovaks, 0.7million

Hungarians, 0.5million Ruthenians. In 1920 Social Democratic Party won 25% of the vote

during the parliamentary elections in Czechoslovakiao Led to socialist reforms

• Land Reform and Unions-like organization

In October 1938 Sudetenland was taken over and in March 1939 all of Czechoslovakia, by Adolf Hitler

During 1946, 38% of the vote went to the Communist Party Klement Gottwald, leader of the Communists, was forced to

decline Marshall Plan “The Silent Coup”

o Communist Friendly Regime established in 1948 under Klement Gottwald

Alexander Dubček During WWII he joined the Communist Party of Slovakia Rose quickly through the ranks of the Communists in

Czechoslovakia In 1960s there was very little support for regime

o Economic declineo Discontent with Destalinizationo Disappointed with central control

Communist reformer who wanted to liberalize the regime, by creating “socialism with a human face”o Greater freedom of expressiono Political tolerance o Non-Communist organizations

However he tried to control growing reforms while stopping Soviet intervention through negotiations

Alexander Dubček (27th of November 1921- 7th of November 1992)

First Secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (5 January 1968 – 17 April 1969)

Political Reforms – Prague Spring

Reformso Free speech

• Allowed accusations against Antonin Novotny (Secretary of party)• Led to his resignation

o Encouraged freedom over obedienceo Trade unions were given increase authorityo Farmers allowed to form cooperativeso Attempted to decentralize the economy,o Bring about democratizationo Grant individual freedoms o Loosen restrictions on media, speech and travel. o Attempted split of Czechoslovakia into three republics,

Bohemia, Moravia-Silesia and Slovakia Ludvik Svoboda became president March 1968

o Supporter of reforms

The Invasion Dubček and Svoboda tried to convince U.S.S.R. and other

Warsaw pact members the reforms were an internal affairo Still committed to Warsaw pact

U.S.S.R. and asked permission to send the Red Army against “imminent West German invasion”o Dubcek denied the request

After failed negotiations with the Soviet Union and the other “Warsaw Five” (USSR, Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria and East Germany) on limiting the changes in Czechoslovakia, 200,000 troops and 2,000 tanks entered the country.

No official military resistance but there was scattered resistanceo 72 Deaths, 266 severely wounded, 436 light injurieso Over 70,000 fled immediately, and over 300,000 followed o 1 Self-immolation by Jan Palach (19th of January 1969)

Soviet Tanks moving down Wenceslas Square (August 1968)

Fierce opposition to Soviet Invasion by citizens of Prague

(Late August 1968)

The Aftermath Dubček and Svoboda were taken to U.S.S.R. and

announced the end of the reform program, Alexander Dubček was replaced by Gustáv Husák

as First Secretary of Communist Partyo Dubcek was also thrown out of Communist Party o Worked 18 years as a lumber yard clerko However was not executed like Imre Nagy, the leader of

the 1956 Hungarian Uprising Czechoslovakia remained occupied until the

Velvet Revolution (November 17 to December 29, 1989)

Czech Socialist Republic and Slovak Socialist RepublicAs Formed by the Constitutional Law of

Federation of the 28th of October 1968.

Normalization Gustáv Husák purged the party of liberal

members, intellectual elites who disagreed with Soviet Policy

Revoke or modify the laws enacted by Prague Spring

Strengthen ties with Warsaw Pact Increase police authority Re-centralize the Economy Only the formation of the Czech Socialist Republic

and the Slovak Socialist Republic remained

Gustáv Husák (10 January 1913 – 18 November 1991)President of Czechoslovakia (29 May 1975 – 10 December 1989)

Prague Spring and the Cold War

Underlined Brezhnev Doctrineo U.S.S.R. hat right to intervene when a Eastern Bloc country shifted

towards Capitalismo Iron Curtain countries would not be allowed to abandon communism,

"even if it meant a third world war". Use of Warsaw Pact armies to quell Revolution Further underlined the division between East and West

o Most countries voiced criticism • Canada, Denmark, France, Paraguay, the United Kingdom and the United

States requested security Council resolution• Soviet Union insisted it was "fraternal assistance" against "antisocial forces"

o Showed the West that the people of the Eastern Bloc were oppressed and denied democracy

Many Communist Parties opposed invasiono France, Italy, Finland, Romania, Yugoslaviao Albania withdrew from Warsaw Pact

Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev (19 December 1906  – 10 November 1982)General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (14 October 1964 – 10

November 1982)

Bibiliography Images http://tmp.aktualne.centrum.sk/soumar/img/1035/73/10357350-

alexander-dubcek.jpg http://phobos.ramapo.edu/~theed/Cold_War/d_Brezhnev_Era/

c_1968/media/e_Prague/PragueSpring2.jpg http://aipetcher.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/prague-spring.jpg http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~pv/maps/Czechoslovakia.jpg http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20071106073860/

necyklopedia/sk/images/9/94/Sudruh_gustav_husak.jpg http://phobos.ramapo.edu/~theed/Cold_War/d_Brezhnev_Era/

d_Nixon_71_72/media/BrezhnevquaBrezhnev/brezhnev_0.jpgWebpages http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/ir2/

czechoslovakia1968rev2.shtml http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/prague_spring_1968.htm