The 3 Cold War Crises - Czechoslovakia

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  • Created by: lou123
  • Created on: 01-06-16 12:08

CTPS - Dubcek's Reforms - April 1968

Czecholosovakia was a satellite state, where Communism had few benefits - it was run by the secret police and R control of the economy made it poor and living standards low.

Dubcek became Communist Party Leader in Czechoslovakia on the 5th January 1968. He was a committed Communist; his aim was to create a genuinely popular form of communism known as 'socialism with a human face'. He wanted to remove the most repressive areas of communist rule.

He introduced remorms including:

  • Relaxation of censorship
  • legalisation of polictical oopposition groups and toleration of political critisism
  • freedom of speech, assembly and religion
  • reduction of the powers of the secret police

The reforms were enthusiastically welcomed by students, intellectuals and workers. Artists and writers took full advantage of the reforms, immediatley creating work critcal of soviet-style communism.

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CTPS - Brezhnev's Dilemma & The Brezhnev Doctrine

The Prague Sping made things very difficult for Breznev - he regarded Dubcek as a friend and he had made no attempt to leave the warsaw pact or to damage the SU.

However - the reforms could lead to a weaking of soviet control in Czechoslovakia which in the long run could lead to the beak up of the eastern bloc.

The doctrine: Was created by Brezhnev to justify the invasion. It said that a threat to one communsit country was a threat to them all and force could be used where necassary to keep soviet satellites firmly under control.

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CTPS - Soviet Invasion of Czechoslovakia 20th Augu

Soviet Tanks went in on the 20th August 1968.

Ducek ordered the Czech people not to respond with violence, but there was a lot of non-violent civil disobedence e.g. students standing infront of tanks.

Dubcek was arrested and taken to moscow where Brezhnev told him he had betrayed communism. 

Censorship was reintroduced and political opposition removed.

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CTPS - Responses

American:

  • condemned the invasion
  • already fighting a bloody war against communism in Vietnem so offered no military support

Western European:

  • Followed suit with the USA - condemned with no military support
  • Communist parties in Italy and France were outraged at the invasion and declared themselves seperate from soviet communism, creating euro communism
    • this highlighted the extent to which soviet communsim lost support as a result

Eastern European:

  • Yugoslavian and Romanian governments condemned the invasion and distanced themselves from the SU by making alliances with China
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