- In 1968, the Prague Spring began, a period of the government making reform to improve the conditions of the people and lessen Soviet control over Czechoslovakia
- The result was Russian invasion, the replacement of the leader, and an end to these reforms
Cause for the demand of reform
- The economy struggled in the 1960s
- Production was struggling, and goods were therefore not selling much
- Therefore, the quality of living was bad as well
- Because of this, changes were made
- One of the most important one was the loosening of state control on businesses and increased company control over wages and prices (which was against communist principles)
- Antonin Novotny was replaced as the leader of the communist party after student protests by Alexander Dubcek who promised reform. This included...
- Freedom of the press (no more censorship). This led to emerging reports of corruption in higher classes
- Freedom of speech, people were now allowed to criticise the government
- Members of the communist party could now present their honest opinions about methods to rule the country
- There was an increase in "workers' councils" that represented their workforce to discuss with employers
- Those who self-identified themselves as Slovak or followed Slovak customs weree recognised
- Freedom of movement for all
- Dubcek knew that Moscow may have viewed this change as dangerous and tried to reassure the Soviets by declaring that there was no intention to change foreign poplicy (eg. withdraw from the the Warsaw Pact)
- This declaration was an attempt to prevent Soviet military entering the country
- In July 1968, the USSR announced that evidence was found of a planned West German invasion
- The USSR asked permission to protect Czechoslovakia with the Red Army and Dubcek refused
- A month later, the army of countries in the Warsaw Pact launched an invasion on Czechoslovakia led by the USSR without the knowledge of Dubcek
- Dubcek ordered for there to be no resistance as he knew it would be pointless
- The Prague Spring was crushed, and it was later announced that the reforms would no longer continue
- Leonid Brezhnev, the leader of the USSR, and leaders of Eastern European countries were afraid that people would demand freedoms like in Czechoslovakia
- Albania had resigned from the Warsaw Pact thinking the USSR had become too liberal after Stalin's death
- The Brezhnev Doctrine was introduced to prevent similar incidents, declaring that communist countries should be aware in order not to impact other communist states
- Communist countries were governed by two principles to...
- keep a one-party system
- stay a part of the Warsaw Pact
- USSR used military force to enforce these terms
- In April 1969, Dubcek was expelled from the party and replaced as party secretary
- A 20 year period of "normalisation" followed the invasion
- The rule in Czechoslovakia was closely controlled and monitored by the USSR through army officers, the KGB (secret police), and Czechoslovaks loyal to the USSR
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