The Prague Spring

Question 1

Who was Antonin Novotny?

Answer 1

Czech leader from 1957 to 1968. He was a hard line communist and refused to reform the economy even as it declined as a result of Comecon forcing Czech industry to provide raw materials for Russia.

Question 2

Why was Novotny unpopular?

Answer 2

• refused to introduce reforms.
• he was slow to follow Krushchev’s policy of de-Stalinisation.
• slow to release political prisoners jailed under Stalin.
• the economy was struggling, leading to the fall in living standards.

Question 3

Who replaced Novotny as President?

Answer 3

General Ludvik Svoboda.

Question 4

What as Alexander Dubcek’s position in politics?

Answer 4

First Secretary of the Communist Party.

Question 5

what were the Prague Spring reforms?

Answer 5

• free speech
• abolition of censorship
• reduction of the power of the secret police to imprison without trial.
• removal of travel restrictions.
• trade with the West
• proposals for democratic elections and a one-party state.

Question 6

Why was Brezhnev worried by changed in Czechoslovakia?

Answer 6

• Czechoslovakis was one of the most important countries in the Warsaw pact - it was centrally placed and had the strongest industry. Brezhnev feared that Czechoslovakia might leave the Warsaw pact, allowing NATO to move in, which would advance NATO’s frontier.
• The ideas in Czechoslovakia might spread to other countries in Eastern Europe.
• Czechoslovakia was becoming closer to West Germany through trade and Brezhnev feared that West Germany may come to dominate the economy of Czechoslovakia and other countries in Eastern Europe.

Question 7

What did the Czechs call Dubcek’s reforms?

Answer 7

Socialism with a human face.

Question 8

Describe the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia.

Answer 8

Brezhnev became increasingly untrusting of Czechoslovakia and was encouraged by leaders of other communist parties to deal with it. On the 20th of August 1968, the soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia. There were hundreds and thousands of Soviet troops backed by units from various Warsaw pact countries. Civilians protested but the troops were unstoppable. There was no armed resistence from the Czechoslovakian

Question 9

What did the Czechoslovakians do to resist the invasion?

Answer 9

• set up barricades in streets.
• tore down street names
• climbed into tanks and argued with the Soviet soliers.
• threw petrol bombs
• anti-Soviet broadcasters stayed on air by moving from place to place.

Question 10

What were the results of the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia?

Answer 10

• Dubcek and the reformers were replaced by hardline, Russian-approved communists.
• Dubcek forced to leave Czech Communist Party.
• Establsihment of the Brezhnev Doctrine.
• Albania left the Warsaw Pact.
• Strained relationships between USA and Russia but nothing major as the USA was not involved - it was busy with elections and Vietnam.
• Czechoslovakia reverted to strick, communist rule.

Question 11

What was the Brezhnev Doctrine?

Answer 11

All Communist countries would stop a member state from going Capitalist.