Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia posed a similar challenge as the one in Hungary 1956. Khrushchev was ousted and the new leader was: Leonid Brezhnev.

Why was there opposition in Czechoslovakia? 

People realized the magnitude of the restrictions and prohibitions and did not feel comfortable. In 1967, Alexander Dubcek became leader of the Czechs Communist Party after the Stalinists previous leader went. 

Dubcek proposed a policy of “socialism with a human face”. He believed Communism didn’t have to be as tight as before: 

• Less censorship
• More freedom of speech
• Reduction in the activities of the secret police
• He had NO plans to remove its membership from the Warsaw Pact
• Czechs opposition was led by intellectuals who assured Communists had failed to lead the country forward. As censorship was eased, opponents were able to launch attacks towards the government, its corruption and uselessness. Ministers were “grilled” on live TV and radios. 

This period became known as the Prague spring as new ideas flourish everywhere.  

Moreover, even more radical ideas went on: allowing another political party, the Social Democratic Party, as a rival of the Communist Party. 

How did the Soviet Union response? 

Czechoslovakia was one of the most important countries in the Warsaw Pact. It was centrally placed and got the strongest industry.

Soviets were worried that the new ideas in Czechoslovakia might spread to other Communist countries.  Brezhnev received demands of the East German leader: Walter Ulbricht and the Polish leader: Gomulka to solve the affair.

Methods: 

• Slow Dubcek down
• Soviet, Polish and East German troops performed at the Czechs border
• Impose economic sanctions (not done, worries about Czechoslovakia asking the West for aid).

July: USSR had a summit conference with the Czechs. Dubcek agreed not to allow another Party in Czechoslovakia (No Social Democratic Party). He insisted in keeping its reforms...

August: A conference between the members of the Warsaw Pact was held, countries called on Czechoslovakia  to maintain political stability. 

Albania resigned from the Warsaw Pact because it thought that the Soviet Union itself had become too liberal! (Brezhnev didn’t consider it as an important country though)

Finally: 20 August 1968, Soviet tanks went into Czechoslovakia

Little violent resistance. Dubcek was removed from power. Its policy of socialism with a human face was unacceptable for other Communist countries. 

Dubcek always expressed its loyalty to Communism and the Warsaw Pact though Brezhnev was worried that the new ideas coming out of Czechoslovakia spread. Leaders fear that their own people would demand the same freedom Dubcek allowed. 

Dubcek was not executed, but was downgraded. He was sent to be Turkey’s Ambassador but then he was expelled from the Communist Party.  

Alexander Dubcek

Czechoslovakia : a country that had been pro-Soviet was now resentful of the Soviet connection.